• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권16호
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• pp.7097-7101
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• 2015

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is linked to Epstein Barr virus infection and is particularly common in the Far East, particularly among some Chinese groups. Certain ethnicities have been reported to have low incidence of NPC. This study looked at NPC in Brunei Darussalam over a three decade period. Materials and Methods: The cancer registry from 1986 to 2014 maintained by the State Laboratory was retrospectively reviewed. The age standardized rates (ASR) and the age specific incidence rates (ASIR) were calculated. Non NPC tumors were excluded from the study. Results: Altogether, there were a total of 450 NPC cases diagnosed accounting for 4.4% of all total cancer cases over the study period, declining from 10.3% in 1986-1990 to 2.3% in 2011-2014. The most common tumor type was the undifferentiated carcinoma (96.4%). The case characteristics were mean age $50.4{\pm}14.4$ years old, male 69%, and predominately Malays 74.4%, followed by Chinese 16.7%. The mean age of diagnosis increased over the study period from $45.6{\pm}17.1$ years (1986-1989) to $54.1{\pm}12.5$ years (ANOVA, p<0.01 for trend). There were no differences in the mean age of diagnosis between the ethnic groups or genders. The ASR showed a declining trend from 11.1 per 100,000 in 1986-1990 to 5.95 per 100,000 in 2011-2014, similar trends been observedfor both genders. Among the age groups, declining trends were seen in all the other age groups apart from the >70 years group. The overall ASRs for the Malays and Chinese were 7.92/100,000 and 8.83/100,000 respectively, both showing declining trends. Conclusions: The incidence of NPC in Brunei Darussalam is comparable to rates reported from Singapore and Malaysia, but higher than rates reported from the other Southeast Asian nations. Unlike higher rates reported for Chinese compared to the Malays in other countries, the rates between the Malays and Chinese in our study was comparable. Importantly, the ASR is declining overall and for both genders and ethnic groups.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권11호
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• pp.4781-4786
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• 2015

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is used primarily as an adaptogen herb and also for its immune stimulant properties in Western herbal medicine. Another closely related species used in East Asian medicine systems i.e. Kampo, TCM (Manchuria, Korea, Japan and Ainu of Hokkaido) and also called Siberian ginseng (Acanthopanax senticosus) also displays immune-stimulant and anti-cancer properties. These may affect tumour growth and also provide an anti-fatigue effect for cancer patients, in particular for those suffering from lung cancer. There is some evidence that a carbohydrate in Siberian ginseng may possess not only immune stimulatory but also anti-tumour effects and also display other various anti-cancer properties. Our study aimed to determine the inhibitory and also proliferative effects of a methanol plant extract of Siberan ginseng (E. senticosus) on various cancer and normal cell lines including: A-549 (small cell lung cancer), XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line), HCT-116 (human colon cancer) and Beas-2b (human lung epithelial). These cell lines were treated with an extract from E. senticosus that was evaporated and reconstituted in DMSO. Treatment of A-549 (small cell lung cancer) cells with E. senticosus methanolic extract showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory trend from $12.5-50{\mu}g/mL$, and then a plateau, whereas at 12.5 and $25{\mu}g/mL$, there is a slight growth suppression in QBC-939 cells, but then a steady suppression from 50, 100 and $200{\mu}g/mL$. Further, in XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), E. senticosus methanolic extract displayed an inhibitory effect which plateaued with increasing dosage. Next, in CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line) there was a dose dependent proliferative response, whereas in Beas-2 (human lung epithelial cell line), an inhibitory effect. Finally in colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) we observed an initially weak inhibitory effect and then plateau.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권9호
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• pp.3879-3884
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• 2014

Background: In chronic hepatitis B (CHB), the presence of hepatic steatosis (HS) seems to be associated with known host and viral factors which may influence the long-term prognosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), probably leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Different from chronic hepatitis C (CHC), factors associated with HS in CHB are not clearly explored. Materials and Methods: 160 CHB patients were divided into two groups depending on the results of liver biopsy. Group I consisted of 71 patients with confirmed steatosis. Group II comprised 89 patients without steatosis. The groups were compared in terms of basal characteristics, body mass index (BMI), liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP), serum fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipids, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), viral load, and histological findings. Results: In terms of host factors, male gender, older age, BMI, high serum FBS and lipid levels were associated with HS. On the other hand, ALT levels, the HAI scores of necroinflammation and stage of fibrosis did not associate with HS. On multivariate analysis, parameters of sex, BMI, cholesterol and FBS levels were independently associated with HS. Regarding viral factors, HBeAg negativity was significantly associated with HS (81.7%, p value 0.006), but not HBV DNA level (p value 0.520). Conclusions: HS in CHB appears to be unrelated to the status of HBV replication. However, fibrosis progression in CHB is related to variable host factors. HS may be enhanced through these factors in HBV chronic patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.609-614
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• 2016

Background: Although breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, economic evaluation of breast cancer screening is not fully addressed in developing countries. The main objective of the present study was to analyze the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening using mammography in 35-69 year old women in an Iranian setting. Materials and Methods: This was an economic evaluation study assessing the cost-effectiveness of a population-based screening program in 35-69 year old women residing in rural areas of South east Iran. The study was conducted from the perspective of policy-makers of insurance. The study population consisted of 35- to 69-year old women in rural areas of Kerman with a population of about 19,651 in 2013. The decision tree modeling and economic evaluation software were used for cost-effectiveness and sensitivity analyses of the interventions. Results: The total cost of the screening program was 7,067.69 US$ and the total effectiveness for screening and no-screening interventions was 0.06171 and 0.00864 disability adjusted life years averted, respectively. The average cost-effectiveness ratio DALY averted US$ for screening intervention was 7,7082.5 US$ per DALY averted and 589,027 US $ for no-screening intervention. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio DALY averted was 6,264 US$ per DALY averted for screening intervention compared with no-screening intervention. Conclusions: Although the screening intervention is more cost-effective than the alternative (noscreening) strategy, it seems that including breast cancer screening program in health insurance package may not be recommended as long as the target group has a low participation rate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.33-38
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• 2004

This study was aimed at testing the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes for in vitro culture in porcine embryos produced by in vitro maturation/in vitro fertilization (IVM/IVF). Pocine preimplantation embryos obtainted from IVM/IVF can be successfully culture in vitro, but they are delayed or stop to develop at specific developmental stage. Many factors such as reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in an IVM/IVF system followed by in vitro culture influence the rate of production of viable blastocysts. Porcine embryos derived from IVM/IVF were cultured in the atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ and 20% $O_2$ at $38.5^{\circ}C$ in NCSU23 medium. The patterns of gene expression for antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes during in vitro culture in pocine IVM/IVF embryos were examined by the modified semi-quantitative single cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Porcine embryos produced by in vitro procedures were expressed mRNAs for CuZn-SOD, GAPDH and GPX, whereas transcripts for Mn-SOD and catalase were not detected at any developmental stages. Expression of caspase-3 mRNA was detected at 2 cell, 8 cell 16 cell and blastocyst, but p53 mRNA was not detected at any stages. The fas transcripts was only detected in blastocyst stage. These results suggest that various antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes play crucial roles in vitro culture of porcine IVM/IVF embryos.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.124-152
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain what should be considered in the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer" by analyzing the existing guidelines and clinical trials. Methods: The development committee searched guidelines for herbal medicinal products for colorectal cancer that have already been developed. Then, clinical trials for colorectal cancer using herbal medicine were searched. The searched trials were analyzed in terms of inclusion and exclusion of participants, intervention, comparator, outcomes and trial design. Then, we compared the results of our analysis with the regulations and guidelines of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in order to identify the issues we will have to consider when making the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer". Several guidelines for anti-tumor agents and clinical trials with herbal medicinal products were searched on the national institution homepage. In addition, 12 articles were searched using a combination of the following search terms: 'colorectal neoplasms', 'herbal medicine', 'Medicine, Korean traditional', 'Medicine, Chinese Traditional', 'medicine, East Asian medicine', 'medicine, Kampo', etc. Results: The characteristics of participants were various, such as people with medical histories of surgeries or recurrent cancers or who complained of chemotherapy-induced side effects. The types of interventions were also various and included decoctions, powders, intravenous fluids, intraperitoneal injections and gargles. Comparators used included placebos and conventional treatments. The outcome measurements used in the studies were quality of life, symptom score, tumor response, and survival duration, etc. Safety was evaluated by recording adverse events. Conclusions: Findings were made by reviewing existing guidelines and comparing them with clinical trials for colorectal cancer and herbal medicinal products. These results will be utilized in the development of the "Guideline for Clinical Trials with Herbal Medicinal Products for Colorectal Cancer".

• 약학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 1972

One of the characteristics features of Chinese Medicine is recognized as the practical use of combinations of crude drugs in the forms of various prescriptions according to the symptoms of illness. Such crude drugs are mostly dried plant roots, rhizomes, leaves, fruits and seeds, sometimes dried animla organ preparations even fossils or minerals. In the oldest book of Chinese Medicine, Sang Han Ron, 113 prescriptions were described in which about 80 crude drugs were included, and in other old literature, Shin Nong Bon Tcho Keun, 363 crude drugs were recorded. Such drugs, in particular, those included in Sang Han Ron are generally low toxic, and the prescriptions are acting mild with less side effects, but obviously not so easy task to determine the effect of the indivisual drug from the total effects of various prescriptions which are generally consisted of many kinds of crude drugs. About 200 years ago, in the middle of Edo era, a Japanese medical doctor, Yoshimasu Todo wrote a series of books named "Yakucho", in which he described the essential various prescriptions in which the certain drugs plays the main role. This book is very suggestive to evaluate the effects of some Chinese drugs. The actual effects of Chinese medicine and drugs have widely been recognized by the East Asian peoples during their long age experiences, but still it has not been studied sufficiently by modern scientific methods to give generally acceptable evidences. During past some years, my collaborators and I have been engaged to study some well-known Chinese drugs chemically to find out the active principles in determining their chemical structures under the collaboration of pharmacologists, Prof. K. Takagi and his coworkers. In the present lecture, I would like to present two topics from our recent investigations: The studies on the principles of Paeony and Ginseng roots.

• 대한한의학원전학회지
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.107-118
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• 2011

Classified Emergency Materia Medica is a pharmacopoeia published by the government of the Song(宋) dynasty. After publishment, it had a decisive effect on East-Asian herbology of China, Korean & Japan. Sakae Miki(三木榮), Tameto Okanisi(岡西爲人) wrote papers on the subjects of type, publishing process, bibliographic terms of Classified Emergency Materia Medica published in the early and middle years of Joseon Dynasty. Moreover, Sakae Miki claimed that Classified Emergency Materia Medica from China had been a standard of herbology of Joseon Dynasty since its publishment, and herbology based on materia medica from countryside(鄕藥) also had occupied a part of herbology in Joseon Dynasty. Nevertheless the specific influences, from Classified Emergency Materia Medica to the medical books of Joseon Dynasty which established the herbology based on materia medica from countryside has never been handled so far. So I would like to investigate the influence of Classified Emergency Materia Medica to Joseon Dynasty, through a comparison with literature review. The main literatures for comparison are two representative medical books of Joseon Dynasty, Compendium of Prescriptions from the Countryside(1433) & Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine(1613), especially focusing on the pharmacognostic parts. The main comparing points on researching literatures will be the following: publication year of books; order of herbs; and quotations. This paper will show which edition of Classified Emergency Materia Medica was utilized to publish two medical books of Joseon Dynasty, and the process how Korean herbology based on materia medica from countryside was transformed after accepting Chinese herbology.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.203-208
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• 2020

Objectives : Since there are complex associations between diseases/symptoms and acupoints, one-to-one correspondence may not be the proper approach. Pattern identification has been being used as a clinical framework to make treatment decisions by extracting and synthesizing clinical data including patients' signs and symptoms. In this article, we propose two different models explaining the relationships between diseases and acupoints based on the branch treatment [Zhibiaofa] and the root treatment [Zhibenfa]. Methods : We explained the relationships between diseases/symptoms and acupoints from the example data from our previous study on traditional acupuncture point selection patterns for pain control. Diseases include low back pain, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, ankle sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and dysmenorrhea, and acupoints included LI4, BL23, BL25, SP6, BL60, TE5, and CV4. Results : The relationships between diseases/symptoms and acupoints can be explained directly based on the branch treatment, and also can be explained indirectly through pattern identification based on the root treatment. Pattern identifications included both meridian-based pattern identification based on the spatial information of diseases and visceral organ-based pattern identification based on the characteristics of diseases. Conclusions : In the East Asian traditional medicine, Korean medicine doctors choose the most appropriate acupoints based either on the diseases/symptoms (i.e., branch treatment) or on the results of pattern identifications (i.e., root treatment). It is necessary to understand the two different approaches to choose specific acupoints for the targeted diseases.

• 대한두개안면성형외과학회지
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.148-153
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• 2021

Background: The zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) has a protruded, convex shape and plays a vital role in determining the contour by affecting the width of the middle face. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of ZMC fracture reduction and explore detailed directions for outcome improvement. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with unilateral ZMC fracture who underwent ZMC reduction surgery at a single hospital between January 2015 and May 2020. The primary outcome variable was facial asymmetry using the difference in the bilateral malar eminence (ME) position measured by computed tomography scan. The 3-dimensional distance (I_A, asymmetry index) and the distance in each dimension, D_x (anteroposterior distance), D_y (mediolateral distance), and D_z (superoinferior distance) were compared. Results: A total of 101 patients with ZMC fractures and 54 non-fracture patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the study sample was 43.49 years (control sample, 43.35 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 66.3:33.7 (control sample, 64.8:35.2). There were 53 and 48 patients with right and left ZMC fractures, respectively. The I_A was not statistically different between the two groups. In terms of position in each dimension, only D_x was significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The results show that overall facial asymmetry was recovered after ZMC reduction, but in certain dimension significant difference in ME position has still remained. For further improvement, treatment should be performed to relieve malar depression in the anteroposterior dimension.