• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.979-984
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• 2016

The incidence rate of stomach cancer in Bali, Indonesia, is estimated to be strikingly lower than that in Japan. We conducted an on-site ecological study to investigate the association between the stomach cancer incidence and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Recruiting 291 healthy persons (136 men and 155 women) from the general population in Bali, Indonesia, we conducted a urea breath test (UBT) to examine H. pylori infection, along with a pepsinogen test to detect chronic atrophic gastritis and urine analysis to estimate sodium and potassium excretion. UBT positivities were 9% (2-15, 95% confidence interval) for men and 7% (1-12) for women, and positive cases for H. pylori IgG antibodies were 1% (0-3) for men and 3% (0-5) for women, significantly lower than the respective values in Japan. Positive pepsinogen tests in Bali were 0% (0-0) for men and 1% (0-4) for women, also significantly lower than the Japanese figures. Computed values for daily salt excretion were $13.3{\pm}4.1g$ (mean${\pm}$SD) for men and $11.1{\pm}3.1g$ for women, as high as corresponding Japanese consumption values. Moreover, the estimated potassium excretion was $3.2{\pm}0.7g$ for men and $2.8{\pm}0.6g$ for women in Bali, significantly higher than the figures in Japan. There were no associations across genetic polymorphisms of IL-beta, TNF-alpha, and PTPN11 with UBT positivity. The low incidence of stomach cancer in Bali may thus mainly be due to the rare H. pylori infection. Namely, the bacterium infection seems to be a critical factor for gastric cancer rather than host or other environmental factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3595-3604
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• 2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been one of the most fatal malignant tumors worldwide and its associated morbidity and mortality remain of significant concern. Based on in-depth reviews of serological diagnosis of HCC, in addition to AFP, there are other biomarkers: Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive AFP (AFP-L3), descarboxyprothrombin (DCP), tyrosine kinase with Ig and eprdermal growth factor (EGF) homology domains 2 (TIE2)-espressing monocytes (TEMs), glypican-3 (GPC3), Golgi protein 73 (GP73), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) have been proposed as biomarkers for the early detection of HCC. The diagnosis of HCC is primarily based on noninvasive standard imaging methods, such as ultrasound (US), dynamic multiphasic multidetector-row CT (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Some experts advocate gadolinium diethyl-enetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) MRI and contrast-enhanced US as the promising imaging madalities of choice. With regard to recent advancements in tissue markers, many cuting-edge technologies using genome-wide DNA microarrays, qRT-PCR, and proteomic and inmunostaining studies have been implemented in an attempt to identify markers for early diagnosis of HCC. Only less than half of HCC patients at initial diagnosis are at an early stage treatable with curative options: local ablation, surgical resection, or liver transplant. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is considered the standard of care with palliation for intermediate stage HCC. Recent innovative procedures using drug-eluting-beads and radioembolization using Yttrium-90 may exhibit beneficial effects in HCC treatment. During the past few years, several molecular targeted agents have been evaluated in clinical trials in advanced HCC. Sorafenib is currently the only approved systemic treatment for HCC. It has been approved for the therapy of asymptomatic HCC patients with well-preserved liver function who are not candidates for potentially curative treatments, such as surgical resection or liver transplantation. In the USA, Europe and particularly Japan, hepatitis C virus (HCV) related HCC accounts for most liver cancer, as compared with Asia-Pacific regions, where hepatitis B virus (HBV) may play a more important role in HCC development. HBV vaccination, while a vaccine is not yet available against HCV, has been recognized as a best primary prevention method for HBV-related HCC, although in patients already infected with HBV or HCV, secondary prevention with antiviral therapy is still a reasonable strategy. In addition to HBV and HCV, attention should be paid to other relevant HCC risk factors, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease due to obesity and diabetes, heavy alcohol consumption, and prolonged aflatoxin exposure. Interestingly, coffee and vitamin K2 have been proven to provide protective effects against HCC. Regarding tertiary prevention of HCC recurrence after surgical resection, addition of antiviral treatment has proven to be a rational strategy.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.4 s.41
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• pp.469-485
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in the Umsung area, and to elucidate the effect of host rock type, well depth and mineralization zone on the groundwater chemistry. The geology of the study area consists of Jurassic granite and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, which are bounded by a fault. Most of shallow groundwaters exploited in the Jurassic granite area are used for agricultural purpose, whereas the deep groundwaters in the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks are used for a drinking water. The shallow groundwater shows weak acidic pH, the electrical conductivity ranging from $142\;to\;903\;{\mu}S/cm$, and the chemical type of $Ca-HCO_3\;to\;Ca-Cl(SO_4,\;NO_3)$. A few of shallow groundwaters are contaminated by nitrate, and show high concentration of Fe, Mn and Zn, that reflects the effect of a mineralization zone. The deep groundwater shows neutral to weak alkaline pH, higher electrical conductivity than that of shallow groundwater, and the chemical type of $Ca-HCO_3$. The seepage water from the abandoned mines does not have the characteristics such as acidic pH, high concentration of heavy metals and high sulfate content. The hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of groundwater indicates an altitude effect of the recharge area between deep groundwater and shallow groundwater. In conclusion, the chemical composition of groundwater complicately reflects the effects of their host rocks, well depth, agricultural activity and mineralization zone in the study area.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.106-111
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• 2007

[ $Henoch-Sch\ddot{o}nlein$ ] Purpura(HSP) is a form of vasculitis that typically affects small arteries in the skin, joints, intestinal tract and kidneys. It usually resolves spontaneously but sometimes can cause serious problems in the kidneys and intestinal tract. A 6-year-old girl with purpura, arthralgia and abdominal pain for 2 weeks was admitted. She also showed gross hematuria, generalized edema and decreased urine output. Blood pressure was in the upper normal range. Initial laboratory findings showed hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, microhematuria and nephrotic-range proteinuria(27.2 g/day). Initially, she was treated with pulse methylprednisolone, azathioprine, albumin and furosemide. Her renal biopsy revealed diffuse mesangial proliferation with strong IgA deposition. There were no crescents. On the third hospital day, she complained of severe abdominal pain and free peritoneal air was seen on abdominal X-ray. Primary repair of small bowel was performed and two pin-point sized holes were found. One week later, she still showed heavy proteinuria. Therefore, we added an ACE inhibitor and dipyridamole, and changed azathioprine to cyclosporine. One month later, the urine protein/creatinine ratio was decreased to 17.8 from 57, but heavy proteinuria has been still persisted. Here we report a rare case of a patient with HSP who had both severe nephrritc-nephrotic syndrome and small bowel perforation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.257-264
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• 2019

Mastoparan V1 was used as adjuvant of formalin-inactivated Salmonella Gallinarum whole cells vaccine against fowl typhoid in a chicken model. The 75 brown nick chickens were equally divided into 5 groups, and all chickens of each group were immunized at 6 weeks of age (0 WPPI; weeks prime post immunization), and at 9 weeks of age (3 WPPI) (except group B). Group A chickens were intramuscularly (IM) inoculated with 500 uL of sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and group B chickens were subcutaneously immunized with 0.2 ml containing 5×10⁷ viable vaccine strain/bird. The chickens in groups C~E were IM inoculated with approximately 3×10⁹ cells/0.5 mL of formalin-inactivated the S. Gallinarum whole cells, approximately 3×10⁹ cells/0.5 mL of formalin-inactivated the S. Gallinarum whole cells with mastoparan V1 as adjuvant, and 0.5 mL of PBS, respectively. S. Gallinarum outer membrane proteins-specific serum IgG titers were considerably higher in groups B~D than in groups A and E. However, the levels of IFN-γ in groups B and D only than in groups A and E were significantly higher. Following oral challenge with virulent wild-type S. Gallinarum, no chicken in groups A (no challenge group) and B was dead, and only 30% of chickens in group D was dead. However, 70% of chickens in group C and all chickens in group E were dead after oral challenge. The results of this study demonstrated that IM immunization with approximately 3×10⁹ of the formalin-inactivated S. Gallinarum whole cells containing mastoparan V1 induced robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in chickens. The whole cells also conferred protection against infection with wild-type S. Gallinarum.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.105-118
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of profile disturbance with different artificial accumulation history on physico-chemical properties of soil under plastic film house. The investigations included soil profile description using soil column cylinder auger F10cm x h110cm, in situ and laboratory measurements of soil properties at five sites each at the cucumber (Site Ic ~ Vc) and grape (Site Ig ~ Vg) plastic film houses with artificial soil accumulation. The sites except sites Ic, IVc, IVg and Vg, belong to ex-paddy area. The types of accumulates around root zone included sandy loam soil for 3 sites, loam soil for 1 site, saprolite for 2 sites, and multi-layer with different accumulates for 3 sites. Especially, Site IIg has mixed plow zone (Ap horizon) with original soil and saprolite, whereas disturbed soil layers of the other sites are composed of only external accumulates. The soil depth disturbed by artificial accumulation ranged from 20 cm, for Site IIg, to whole measured depth of 110 cm, for Site IVc, Vc, and Site IVg. Elapsed time from artificially accumulation to investigation time ranged from 3 months, Site IIc, to more than 20 years, Site Vg, paddy-soil covering over well-drained upland soil during land leveling in 1980s. Disturbed top layer in all sites except Site Vg had no structure, indicating low structural stability. In situ infiltration rate had no correlation with texture or organic matter content, but highest value with highest variability in Site IIIc, the shortest elapsed time since sandy loam soil accumulation. Relatively low infiltration rate was observed in sites accumulated by saprolite with coarse texture, presumably because its low structural stability in the way of weathering process could result in relatively high compaction in agro-machine work or irrigation. In all cucumber sites, there were water-transport limited zone with very low permeable or impermeability within 50 cm under soil surface, but Site IIg, IIIg, and Vg, with relatively weak disturbance or structured soil, were the reverse. We observed the big change in texture and re-increase of organic matter content, available phosphate, and exchangeable cations between disturbed layer and original soil layer. This study, therefore, suggest that the accumulation of coarse material such as saprolite for cultivating cash crop under plastic film house might not improve soil drainage and structural stability, inversely showing weaker disturbance of original soil profile with higher drainage.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.141-152
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• 2016

The demand to develop more safe and efficient methods for treating allergic patient is now continuously growing due to the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases. Probiotics are endogenous microbial flora that gives health benefits within hosts. Probiotics are now considered as one of solutions to treat allergic patients since recent evidence shows that some of probiotics have immunomodulatory function. Also, the treatment of probiotics to patients is relatively safer than other anti-inflammatory agents. In this review, we summarized on immunomodulatory function of some probiotics which show preventive or therapeutic effects on major allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, or food allergy. Based on previous literature, the treatment of probiotics can alleviate the symptoms of allergic diseases via balancing $Th_1/Th_2$ response or increasing the number of regulatory T ($T_{reg}$) cells.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1355-1362
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• 2017

This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of application of lactic acid bacteria fermentation to increase the anti-allergic activity of the extracts from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. H. cordata Thunb was fermented on 25, 30, 35 and $40^{\circ}C$ for 5 days by two species of lactic acid bacteria, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395 and Lactobacillus sakei 383. The anti-allergic activity of water extracts of H. cordata Thunb was then analyzed both before and after fermentation. Anti-allergic activity was determined in vitro assays by using 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and ${\beta}$-hexoseaminidase release of RBL-2H3 cells (degranulation marker). The extracts fermented at $35^{\circ}C$ by both bacteria had the highest inhibitory activities against 5-LO, and also higher than the control, and the one fermented at $30^{\circ}C$ by both bacteria had the highest inhibitory activity against COX-2. The degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells induced by IgE-antigen complex was estimated as ${\beta}$-hexoseaminidase release rate as reference of 100%, the release rates were inhibited in $25{\mu}g/ml$ of the extracts fermented at 30, 35 and $40^{\circ}C$ only by L. mesenteroides 4395. These results indicate that anti-allergic activity of H. cordata Thunb is increased by lactic acid bacteria fermentation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.246-252
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• 2010

In order to improve the availability of phytase and probiotics together, a phytase gene from Aspergillus ficuum has been expressed in Lactobacillus. In this study, the transformed Lactobacillus with phytase gene was fed to pigs to determine its effect on pig production, feed conversion and gut microbes. Forty eight, 60-day-old, castrated pigs (Duroc${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Pietrain) were assigned to 6 groups, 8 pigs for each group. Group 1 was the control, group 2 was added with chlortetracycline (500 mg/kg), group 3 was added with the transformed Lactobacillus (500 mg/kg) with 20% (w/w) of calcium monohydrogen phosphate (CMP, $CaHPO_{4}$) removed, group 4 was added with the natural Lactobacillus (500 mg/kg) with 20% (w/w) of CMP removed, group 5 was added with the transformed Lactobacillus (500 mg/kg) with 40% (w/w) of CMP removed, group 6 was added with phytase (500 mg/kg) with 40% (w/w) of CMP removed. The results showed: i) the average daily gain (ADG) was improved in groups 2, 3 and 4 (p<0.05); ii) the diarrhea rates in the groups added with Lactobacillus were lower than in the other groups (p<0.05), in which the transformed Lactobacillus had more effect on reducing digestive disease; iii) the transformed Lactobacillus was most effective in improving the digestibilities of crude protein (CP), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), compared with the other groups (p<0.05); iv) Lactobacillus could increase lactic acid bacterium number and ammonia concentrations, and decrease pH values and E. coli number in pig feces (p<0.05); v) the phytase activity in the feces of pigs fed with the transformed Lactobacillus was 133.32 U/g, which was higher than in group 4 (9.58 U/g, p<0.05), and was almost the same as group 6 (135.94 U/g); vi) the transformed Lactobacillus could increase serum concentrations of IgA, triglyceride, and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity (p<0.05), and had no significant effect on other serum indexes (p>0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1138-1143
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• 2001

A total of 96 piglets were weaned at 19 and 13 days in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively, and allotted to one of four diets: three with different spray dried plasmas (SPs) and one with hydrolysed casein (HC). SPs were from pigs (SPP), mixed origin (SMP), and mixed origin with standardized level of immunoglobulins (SMPIG). All the diets contained 1.7% total lysine, 25% of the test protein source, 45% corn starch, 15% lactose, 2% sucrose, 7% soybean oil. At d 4 and d 2 in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively, piglets were perorally challenged with $10^{10}$ CFU E. coli K88. Growth performance, immunity, and health condition were measured for 15 days and 14 days in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. To investigate apparent ileal digestibility and nutrient deposition, all piglets were sacrificed at d 14 in Exp. 2. In 1. 3 piglets died in HC diet and 1 in SPP diet. HC diet showed higher mortality (p<0.01) than other diets. In Exp. 2, no clinical sign of infection was detected, no difference for the content of E. coli K88 was found in feces at 4 and 6 days after the infection, and no E. coli K88 was found in the jejunum at the end of experiment. In both experiments, feed intake was lower for HC diet and ADG was 96, 106, 122 and 155 for HC, SPP, SMP and SMPIG diet, respectively (HC vs others, p<0.05; SMPIG vs other SP, p<0.01). Heal apparent digestibility of nitrogen in sacrificed piglets was higher for HC diet (p<0.05). After the challenge, K88-specific titers in saliva (Exp. 1) and in plasma (Exp. 2) were reduced in SMP and SMPIG. The piglets positive to the adhesion of the used E. coli strain to the intestinal brush borders had a significantly reduced growth (p<0.01) and a higher K88-specific IgA titer in plasma, in comparison with negative ones. This effect was independent of the diet. The data show the relevance of spray dried plasma sources and particularly of SP with standardized level of immunoglobulins for the feeding of early-weaned at the risk of infection by enterotoxigenic bacteria.