• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.117-129
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• 1981

An experiment with the tobacco plant was conducted in the pots. A sandy humic soil was used with 2 levels of pH, 3.5 and 5.8 with 2 kinds of anions, Cl as $NH_4Cl$ and $SO_4$ as $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, and with 4 levels of pF, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.5. The pH-treatment created different N-forms; $NH_4$ at low pH(3.5) and $NO_3$ at high pH (5.8). The results are summarized as follows: 1. At low pH (3.5) with high concentration of $NH_4$ given as $NH_4Cl$, the high content of $NH_4$ and Cl in tobacco resulted in plants suffering from $NH_4$ and Cl toxicity as well as Mn toxicity. As a result of these toxicity, an extremly abnormal growth of tobacco was clearly appeared. In the tobacco grown at low pH with $NH_4$ given as $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, a large amount of the $NH_4$ uptake developed Mg and Ca deficiencies. $NH_4-N$, which had been applied to the soil of high pH (5.8), was almost completely transformed into $NO_3-N$ by nitrification and, on this low acidic soil, the plants were all healthy regardless of Cl or $SO_4$ added together with $NH_4-N$. However, dry matter production was higher and maturity faster when $SO_4$ was used as anion than when Cl was used. 2. High moisture content in soil, to some extent, is necessary for a good development and growth of the tobacco plant. Phosphate uptake seemed to be limited at higher moisture stress. The dry matter yield of tops and roots of tobacco were in the order of pF 1.8 > 2.1 > 2.6 > 3.6, respectively. 3. Data of chemical analysis and dry matter yields of tops and roots showed that the tobacco plant followed the normal (C-A) concept. In the normal growth of plants, the carboxylate content of tops was quite comparable to the estimated (C-A) values. If $NH_4$ content of plants remains in quite high quantities, it must be analysed and taken into consideration for the (C-A) calculation. Al is not transported toward tops in toxic amounts due to its high immobility, it mostly stay in or on the roots, probably due to precipitation as a aolt. When Al is present in high quantities, it has to be considered into the (C-A) calculation.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2003

Purpose : Anorexia-cachexia syndrome is one of the most common symptoms and main cause of death in terminal cancer patients. This symptom is due to the enlarged cancer mass as well as tumor released cytokines. Some doctors have suggested that vitamin C was preferentially toxic to tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, and improved clinical symptoms in terminal cancer patients. Therefore, we measured cytokines in serum of terminal cancer patients to determine whether vitamin C treatment improved the anorexia-cachexia syndrome. Methods : We investigated that 49 terminal cancer patients admitted to the department of family medicine, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan hospital from March 1, 2002 to August 31, 2002. The study was done on 22 patients who were given 10 g/day of vitamin C infusions during 1 week and 27 patients who were not infused. We measured the cytokines levels ($IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$) before and after 1 week between terminal cancer patients treated vitamin C and without vitamin C. Results : Out of 49 patients, patents treated with vitamin C infusions were 22 (12 male, 10 female), and these without vitamin C were 27 (18 male, 9 female). In patients treated with vitamin C, $IL-1{\beta}\;were\;6.19{\pm}5.17$ before day and $8.76{\pm}5.72$ after 1 week, IL-6 were $3.07{\pm}8.09$ before day and $1.31{\pm}2.36$ after 1 week, and $TNF-{\alpha}\;were\;2.74{\pm}14.24$ before day and $0.50{\pm}2.00$ after 1 week. In patients treated without vitamin C, $IL-1{\beta}\;were\;2.50{\pm}3.58$ before day and $6.49{\pm}12.01$ after 1 week, IL-6 were $1.00{\pm}2.19$ before day and $17.16{\pm}81.55$ after 1 week, and $TNF-{\alpha}\;were\;1.19{\pm}2.98$ before day and $1.27{\pm}1.52$ after 1 week. The level of cytokines in patients treated with vitamin C decreased more than those without vitamin C. However, this represented no statistical value (P=0.0598 in $IL-1{\beta}$, P=0.1664 in IL-6, and P=0.5395 in $TNF-{\alpha}$). Conclusion : In terminal cancer, even if there was no statistical difference in the cytokines levels between patients treated with vitamin C and those not treated, those who were treated had a decrease all cytokines levels. Vitamin C is very safe with almost no side effects. Therefore, vitamin C treatment in terminal cancer patients can be seen as beneficial and helpful for clinical symptoms.