• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.196-203
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most important growth factors for metastatic tumors. To clarify the role of VEGF-A and C in patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) or gastric cancer (GC), we evaluated the expression levels of these two molecules. We also analyzed the effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on VEGF-A and C expression levels. Materials and Methods: Patients with dyspepsia who needed diagnostic endoscopy were selected and divided into three groups: nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD), PUD, and GC, according to their endoscopic and histopathological results. Fifty-two patients with NUD, 50 with PUD, and 38 with GC were enrolled in this study. H. pylori infection was diagnosed by the rapid urease test. After RNA extraction and synthesis of cDNA, the expression levels of VEGF-A and C were determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: The VEGF-C expression level in the PUD and GC groups was significantly higher than that in the NUD group. Moreover, the VEGF-A expression level in the PUD and GC groups was higher than in the NUD group, although the differences were not statistically significant. Significant positive correlations were also observed between the expression levels of these two molecules in the PUD and GC groups. In addition, the expression levels of these two molecules were higher in H. pylori positive patients with PUD or GC than in H. pylori negative patients of the same groups; however, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Up-regulation of VEGF-C expression during gastric mucosal inflammation may play a role in the development of peptic ulcers or GC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.153-157
• /
• 2016

Background: In radiation therapy, estimation of surface doses is clinically important. This study aimed to obtain an analytical relationship to determine the skin surface dose, kerma and the depth of maximum dose, with energies of 6 and 18 megavoltage (MV). Materials and Methods: To obtain the dose on the surface of skin, using the relationship between dose and kerma and solving differential equations governing the two quantities, a general relationship of dose changes relative to the depth was obtained. By dosimetry all the standard square fields of $5cm{\times}5cm$ to $40cm{\times}40cm$, an equation similar to response to differential equations of the dose and kerma were fitted on the measurements for any field size and energy. Applying two conditions: a) equality of the area under dose distribution and kerma changes in versus depth in 6 and 18 MV, b) equality of the kerma and dose at $x=d_{max}$ and using these results, coefficients of the obtained analytical relationship were determined. By putting the depth of zero in the relation, amount of PDD and kerma on the surface of the skin, could be obtained. Results: Using the MATLAB software, an exponential binomial function with R-Square >0.9953 was determined for any field size and depth in two energy modes 6 and 18MV, the surface PDD and kerma was obtained and both of them increase due to the increase of the field, but they reduce due to increased energy and from the obtained relation, depth of maximum dose can be determined. Conclusions: Using this analytical formula, one can find the skin surface dose, kerma and thickness of the buildup region.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.197-200
• /
• 2016

Background: Wedge filters are commonly used in radiation oncology for eliminating hot spots and creating a uniform dose distribution in optimizing isodose curves in the target volume for clinical aspects. These are some limited standard physical wedges ($15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$),or creating an arbitrary wedge angle, like motorized wedge or dynamic wedge,${\ldots}$ The new formulation is presented by the combination of wedge fields for determining an arbitrary effective wedge angles. The isodose curves also are derived for these wedges. Materials and Methods: we performed the dosimetry of Varian Clinac 2100C/D with Scanditronix Wellhofer water blue phantom, CU500E, OmniPro - Accept software and 0.13cc ionization chamber for 6Mv photon beam in depth of 10cm (reference depth) for universal physical wedges ($15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, and $60^{\circ}$) and reference field $10.10cm^2$. By combining the isodose curve standard wedge fields with compatible weighting dose for each field, the effective isodose curve is calculated for any wedge angle. Results: The relation between a given effective wedge angle and the weighting of each combining wedge fields was derived. A good agreement was found between the measured and calculated wedge angles and the maximum deviation did not exceed $3^{\circ}$. The difference between the measured and calculated data decreased when the combined wedge angles were closer. The results are in agreement with the motorized single wedge appliance in the literature. Conclusions: This technique showed that the effective wedge angle that is obtained from this method is adequate for clinical applications and the motorized wedge formalism is a special case of this consideration.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.257-262
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of changing the orientation of a reconstructed image on the accuracy of linear measurements using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Forty-two titanium pins were inserted in seven dry sheep mandibles. The length of these pins was measured using a digital caliper with readability of 0.01 mm. Mandibles were radiographed using a CBCT device. When the CBCT images were reconstructed, the orientation of slices was adjusted to parallel (i.e., $0^{\circ}$), $+10^{\circ}$, $+12^{\circ}$, $-12^{\circ}$, and $-10^{\circ}$ with respect to the occlusal plane. The length of the pins was measured by three radiologists, and the accuracy of these measurements was reported using descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA); p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The differences in radiographic measurements ranged from -0.64 to +0.06 at the orientation of $-12^{\circ}$, -0.66 to -0.11 at $-10^{\circ}$, -0.51 to +0.19 at $0^{\circ}$, -0.64 to +0.08 at $+10^{\circ}$, and -0.64 to +0.1 at $+12^{\circ}$. The mean absolute values of the errors were greater at negative orientations than at the parallel position or at positive orientations. The observers underestimated most of the variables by 0.5-0.1 mm (83.6%). In the second set of observations, the reproducibility at all orientations was greater than 0.9. Conclusion: Changing the slice orientation in the range of $-12^{\circ}$ to $+12^{\circ}$ reduced the accuracy of linear measurements obtained using CBCT. However, the error value was smaller than 0.5 mm and was, therefore, clinically acceptable.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.76-81
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study compared the safety and efficacy of $Safacto^{(R)}$ versus $xyntha^{(R)}$ in patients with severe hemophilia A. Methods: Thirty-three male patients with severe hemophilia A were randomly divided into two groups. Seventeen patients received $Safacto^{(R)}$ and 16 patients received $Xyntha^{(R)}$ for four consecutive times. The dosage of FVIII was 40-50 IU/kg for each injection. Plasma level of FVIII activity was evaluated before every injection, 15 minutes after the injection and one month after the start of the trial. The rate of factor VIII activity, pain and joint motion were also assessed before and after the treatment. Results: Plasma level of FVIII clotting activity in $Safacto^{(R)}$ and $Xyntha^{(R)}$ were $1.96{\pm}0.5IU/dl$ and $1.63{\pm}0.5IU/dl$ and increased to $88.84{\pm}25.2IU/dl$ and $100.09{\pm}17.8IU/dl$, respectively (P<0.001). Pain score and range of motion improvement were $9.3{\pm}0.9$ and $8.7{\pm}0.1$ in $Safacto^{(R)}$ (P=0.17); and $9.4{\pm}0.8$ and $8.8{\pm}0.3$ in $Xyntha^{(R)}$ (P=0.35), respectively. No allergic or other unfavorable reactions was observed with either of the preparations. Conclusion: This study showed that $Safacto^{(R)}$ has a favorable efficacy and safety profile.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.44-52
• /
• 2023

Objective: The DNA integrity of spermatozoa that attach to fallopian tube (FT) cells is higher than spermatozoa that do not attach. FT epithelial cells can distinguish normal and abnormal sperm chromatin. This study investigated the effects of sperm with a high-DNA fragmentation index (DFI) from men with unexplained repeated implantation failure (RIF) on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway in human FT cells in vitro. Methods: Ten men with a RIF history and high-DFI and 10 healthy donors with low-DFI comprised the high-DFI (>30%) and control (<30%) groups, respectively. After fresh semen preparation, sperm were co-cultured with a human FT epithelial cell line (OE-E6/E7) for 24 hours. RNA was extracted from the cell line and the human innate and adaptive immune responses were tested using an RT2 profiler polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. Results: The PCR array data showed significantly higher TLR-1, TLR-2, TLR-3, TLR-6, interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, interferon α (IFN-α), IFN-β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), CXCL8, GM-CSF, G-CSF, CD14, ELK1, IRAK1, IRAK2, IRAK4, IRF1, IRF3, LY96, MAP2K3, MAP2K4, MAP3K7, MAP4K4, MAPK8, MAPK8IP3, MYD88, NFKB1, NFKB2, REL, TIRAP, and TRAF6 expression in the high-DFI group than in the control group. These factors are all involved in the TLR-MyD88 signaling pathway. Conclusion: The MyD88-dependent pathway through TLR-1, TLR-2, and TLR-6 activation may be one of the main inflammatory pathways activated by high-DFI sperm from men with RIF. Following activation of this pathway, epithelial cells produce inflammatory cytokines, resulting in neutrophil infiltration, activation, phagocytosis, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and apoptosis.