• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 2018

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) can be seen in 2 forms, zoonotic and anthroponotic, in Iran. In this study, epidemiological aspects of CL were studied during an 8-year period (2009-2016) in city of Kashan, central Iran. The demographic and epidemiological data, including age, sex, occupation, number and site of the lesions, treatment regimen, past history of CL, and season of all patients were gathered from the health centers. Descriptive statistics were used to describe features of the study data. Total 2,676 people with CL were identified. The highest annual incidence was estimated to be 182 per 100,000 population in 2009 and the least was in 2016 (47 per 100,000 population). The highest frequency affected age groups were observed in 20-29 year-old patients (20.9%). More than 51% of the patients were under 30 years old. The maximum frequency of the disease, 1,134 (43.3%), was seen in autumn. The most common location of lesions was hands (61.4%). Most of the patients (81.6%) were treated by systemic glucantime regimen. In the city of Kashan, the incidence rate of the CL disease is significantly higher than many other regions of Iran. To reduce the risk of disease, control of reservoir hosts and vectors of disease, and education of individual protection are strongly recommended.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2003

Filgrastim is used as an indispensable adjuvant drug to reduce the degree and duration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. The purpose of this research is to study the use of filgrastim by reviewing retrospective medical records of breast cancer patients who have been treated by filgtastim in the National Cancer Center. 84 patients have received 323 cycles of chemotherapy, of which 134 cycles were treated by filgrastim $(41.5\%)$. Among those 134 cycles, 34 were for prophylaxis $(21.6\%)$, and 100 for treatment of neutropenia $(74.6\%)$. The frequence of filgrastim usage was more than $50\%$ in frequency with regimens containing docetaxel. For prophylaxis, the median of filgrastim initiation was measured on the day of chemotherapy (-3rd-13th). For the treatment, on the other hand, the median appeared on the 9th day (4th-2lst) after chemotherapy, which showed very wide distribution. Time to filgrastim initiation ranged between the 7th and the 9th day after chemotherapy in docetaxel+doxorubicin combination regimen and docetaxel single regimen, whereas it showed after the 10th day in doxorubicin+cyclophosphamide combination regimens. For the treatment, 48 out of 61 patients $(73.8\%)$ in 63 cycles have experienced fever, had to visit the emergency room, required hospitalization, caused infection, transfusion, dosage reduction and schedule changes in spite of using filgrastim with chemotherapy. For prophylaxis, 11 out of 19 patients $(17.9\%)$ in 11 cycles have experienced the same results. In conclusion, the guideline of time to the initiation and the last is required for cost-effective administration of filgrastim because of the difference occurring ANC nadir, the severity and duration of neutropenia by chemotherapy regimens.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 1996

The traditional methodology in Ewing's sarcoma was chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Recently surgery is reemerging as an important therapeutic tool and some paper report increased survival with it. The purpose of this nonrandomized study is to evaluate our result of Ewing's sarcoma with surgery, retrospectively. We experienced 30 cases for seven years and among them 6 were extraskeletal. In location, axial was 10 cases and peripheral was 20. By Enneking's classification, state IIB was 26 cases and IIIB was 4. Eighteen patients took operation, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and remaining twelve took chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy only. Type of operation was limb salvage in 16 cases and amputation 2. Average dosage of radiation was 45.1Gy. Six kinds of chemotherapeutic regimen were used, but among them main protocols were Ifosfamide-Adriamycin(17 cases) and IESS(Cytoxan, Adriamycin, Methotrexate, Vincristine:8 cases). Complications were as follows. In operation group, there were 3 local recurrence and one case of nonunion. In nonoperated group, one local recurrence and one pancytopenia resulting in death. Average follow up was 29.7 months. Kaplan-Meier's ten year actuarial survival rate for the whole 30 cases was 26.8%. Significant difference in survival exists between central and peripheral lesions(p=0.05, by log rank test). Types of chemotherapy and surgery itself showed no significance. But surgery is important in function and local control. More intensive chemotherapeutic regimen to prevent distant metastasis and combined surgery and radiotherapy may be needed in Ewing's sarcoma.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.380-385
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• 2020

Objective : A consensus regarding the ideal regimen for urokinase (UK) thrombolysis subsequent to stereotactic spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage aspiration has yet to be established. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of UK thrombolysis relative to when the regimen is changed. Methods : Venous blood from 30 heathy volunteers was obtained for this in-vitro study. Various concentrations of UK solution were added to microcentrifuge tubes containing the clotted blood. The efficacy of UK thrombolysis was identified by checking the weight of lysed hematoma following various time intervals with different concentrations of UK solution. Group one, the "3×4" group involved four administrations every 3 hours over 12 hours, and group two, the "6×2" group involved two administrations every 6 hours over 12 hours. Results : More hematoma was lysed in the 3×4 group than the 6×2 group across all concentration levels (however, the differences were only significant between groups at the 500 and 1000 IU concentration levels, p<0.05). There were no significant differences of lysed hematoma among the various UK solution concentrations within groups. Conclusion : This study suggests that frequent administrations of UK thrombolysis may result in a greater degree of lysed hematoma in comparison to a higher concentration of UK.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2008

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is currently promoted as a strategy for treating both uncomplicated and severe falciparum malaria, targeting asexual blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites. However, the effect of ACT on sexual-stage parasites remains controversial. To determine the clearance of sexual-stage P. falciparum parasites from 342 uncomplicated, and 217 severe, adult malaria cases, we reviewed and followed peripheral blood sexualstage parasites for 4 wk after starting ACT. All patients presented with both asexual and sexual stage parasites on admission, and were treated with artesunate-mefloquine as the standard regimen. The results showed that all patients were asymptomatic and negative for asexual forms before discharge from hospital. The percentages of uncomplicated malaria patients positive for gametocytes on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were 41.5, 13.1, 3.8, 2.0, and 2.0%, while the percentages of gametocyte positive severe malaria patients on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were 33.6, 8.2, 2.7, 0.9, and 0.9%, respectively. Although all patients were negative for asexual parasites by day 7 after completion of the artesunate-mefloquine course, gametocytemia persisted in some patients. Thus, a gametocytocidal drug, e.g., primaquine, may be useful in combination with an artesunate-mefloquine regimen to clear gametocytes, so blocking transmission more effectively than artesunate alone, in malaria transmission areas.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 1995

Two hundred eighty weaned Targhee lambs were grazed on annual grass-subclover pastures for 84 d under continuous and rotational defoliation grazing system. At the end of the grazing season, twenty lambs weighing 44 kg were slaughtered directly off the pasture, whereas two groups of 20 lambs each were fed either a alfalfa pellet or a 50% alfalfa/50 concentrate pellet for additional 6 wk until they reached an average live weight of 50 kg. Carcass traits and loin chop palatability were compared. Lambs slaughtered directly off the pasture were lighter than desirable market weight and some lambs had less than adequate fat cover and approximately half of them were graded U.S. Good in quality. Overall conformation and leg muscling was inferior and loin chops were less tender, less juicy and less flavorful. The lambs on alfalfa pellets for 6 wk appeared to be ideal in terms of carcass quality (all Choice except one), fat cover and yield grade. They had better taste panel scores in all palatability traits than off-the-pasture lambs, and most loin chops were acceptable. The lambs on a 50% concentrate diet for 6 wk had a higher conformation score and a greater muscling in the legs. Loin chops had more marbling and better palatability than other groups. However, some lambs had an excessive fat cover and lower yield of retail cuts. It was concluded that additional feeding for 6 wk on alfalfa pellets until the live weight reached 50 kg(for Targhee lambs) was the best way of finishing lambs at the end of grazing season in the California rangeland.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.397-402
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of probencid on the pharmacokinetics of oral pranoprofen in rats. Pranoprofen (5 mg/kg) was coadministered with 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg of probenecid orally. Coadministration of probenecid significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of pranoprofen at 10 and 20 mg/kg. Compared with the control group, probenecid significantly (p<0.05) increased the absorption rate constant $(K_{a})$, the peak concentrations $(C_{max})$ and accordingly the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of pranoprofen at the dose level of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg of probenecid. The relative bioavailability (RB%) of pranoprofen was 1.64- to 1.82- fold increased. Furthermore, 10 and 20 mg/kg probenecid induced the decreased elimination constants $(K_{el})$ and the prolonged half-lives $(t_{1/2})$ of pranoprofen with significance (p<0.05). Coadministration of 10 and 20 mg/kg of probenecid lowered the excreted amounts of pranoprofen in the urine by 21.3-22.5% compared to the control. Overall, probenecid enhanced the bioavailability of pranoprofen and decreased its elimination rate to a greater degree at higher dose. Based on the effect of probenecid on the pharmacokinetic behavior of pranoprofen, the dosage regimen of pranoprofen should be taken into consideration when pranoprofen is administered with probenecid in the clinical setting to the patients especially with peptic ulcer or renal failure.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2467-2471
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• 2012

Introduction: Although bleomycin/etoposide/cisplatinum (BEP) chemotherapy is established as the standard treatment for germ cell tumours, it requires significant experience in administration and toxicity management to maintain optimal dose intensity. A retrospective review of 30 patients was conducted at UKMMC to study treatment outcomes. Methods & Materials: Patients with GCTs and treated with at least two cycles of BEP chemotherapy between January 2003 and Oct 2009 were eligible for this study. Patients received 4-6 cycles of bleomycin 30,000IU IV D1, D8 & D15 and either etoposide $100mg/m^2$ IV D1-D5 and cisplatin $20mg/m^2$ IV D1-D5 (5 day BEP regimen) or etoposide $165mg/m^2$ D1-D3 and cisplatin $50mg/m^2$ D1-3 (3 day BEP regimen) every three weeks per cycle. All patients received prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) from days 6 to 10 of each cycle. The overall response rates, 2 year progression-free survival and overall survival of the whole cohort were assessed. Results: Thirty patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Non-seminomatous GCTs comprised 93.3% of cases and gonadal and mediastinal primary sites were the most common. Sixty percent were classified as IGCCCG poor risk disease. Median follow-up was 26.6 months. The overall response rate (CR+PR) was 70%. The two year PFS and OS were 70% and 66%. There was a significant difference in terms of the overall response rate (85% vs 40%, p = 0.03) and in PFS (94.7% vs 50%, p = 0.003) between gonadal and extragonadal primary sites. Conclusion: It is possible to achieve outcomes similar to those in international clinical trials with close monitoring and good supportive care of patients undergoing BEP chemotherapy. There is a strong argument for patients with IGCCCG poor prognosis disease to be treated in specialist tertiary centres to optimize treatment outcomes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4909-4913
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• 2014

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCT) are rare neoplasms that most frequently occur in women at a young reproductive age. There have been limited data regarding this disease from Southeast Asian countries. We therefore conducted a retrospective study to analyze the clinical characteristics and the treatment outcomes of MOGCT treated at our institute between January, 2003 and December, 2012. Seventy-six patients were recruited from this period with the mean age of 21.6 years and 11.8% were pre-puberty. The two most common symptoms were pelvic mass and pelvic pain. Two-thirds of the studied patients presented at an early stage. The most common histology was immature teratoma (34.2%) followed by endodermal sinus tumor (28.9%), dysgerminoma (25%), mixed type (10.5%) and choriocarcinoma (1.3%). Over 80% of these patients received fertility sparing surgery and about 70% received adjuvant chemotherapy with the complete response rate at 73.3% and partial response at 11.1%. The most frequent chemotherapy was BEP regimen (bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin). With the mean follow up time at 56.0 months, 12 patients (15.8%) developed recurrence and only an advanced stage was the independent prognostic factor. The ten year progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival rate of our study were 81.9% and 86.2%, respectively. In conclusion, MOGCT often occurs at a young age. Treatment with fertility sparing operations and adjuvant chemotherapy with a BEP regimen showed a good outcome. An advanced stage is a significant prognostic factor for recurrence.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2009

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death throughout the world. Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is the most deadly form of lung cancer. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer are often found to be unavailable for operation at primary diagnosis. They are typically given conventional chemotherapy. When the tumor progresses during chemotherapy, a change in regimen is considered. The average period of administration differs with the regimen. In this case report, the authors introduce two cases of non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with allergen removed Rhus verniciflua stokes based herbal medicine along with pemetrexed($Alimta^{(R)}$) and erlotinib($Tarceva^{(R)}$). The authors report this case because these molecular-targeted agents were used for longer periods than expected, while improving the performance and other symptoms. Further studies illuminating the synergistic effects through conjunctive treatment with both conventional and Eastern medicine in lung cancer treatment should be performed in the future.