• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10505-10508
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is an important cause of death among women. One way of classifying different forms of breast cancer is by molecular features, usually in terms of the four subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, HER2-enriched, and triple negative. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between molecular subtypes and survival among breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The subjects were 272 breast cancer patients who had received treatment in the radiotherapy unit at Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand, between 1 January, 1999, and 31 May, 2009. The end of the study was 1 June, 2014. Overall survival was defined as the time elapsing between initial registration at the radiotherapy unit and death or the end of the study. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and a multivariate analysis was performed using Cox's proportional hazard regression model. Results: The patient mean age was $47.5{\pm}10.4$ at the time of diagnosis. Of the 272 patients, 146 (53.7%) were classified as luminal A, 12 (4.4%) as luminal B, 30 (11.0%) as HER2-enriched, and 84 (30.9%) as triple negative. The overall survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 87.1%, 68.4% and 59.2%, respectively. According to molecular subtypes, HER2-enriched patients had the lowest 5-year survival rate (30.0 %, 95%CI: 15.02-46.55). The median follow-up time was 8.37 years. In the Cox model analysis a higher risk of death was found for patients with HER2-enriched ($HR_{adj}=3.34$, 95%CI:1.96-5.67), triple negative ($HR_{adj}=2.17$, 95%CI: 1.44-3.27), and stage IIlB ($HR_{adj}=2.20$, 95%CI: 1.16-4.17) cancers. Conclusions: The worst survival rates were among patients classified as HER2-enriched, triple negative and at stage IIIB. Early detection and an advanced treatment modality are needed to help these patients.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2007

This study aimed to investigate the hexachlorobenzene (HCB) dechlorinating ability of sediment microbes collected from a natural canal receiving secondary effluents from an industrial estate and nearby factories. Nine sites along the stream and one in the estuary in the Gulf of Thailand into which the canal spills were specified and sampling for sediment and water. Preliminary analysis of the sediments showed that the first four sites nearest to the discharging location were contaminated by HCB within the range of 0.18 to 1.25 ppm. Apart from that, 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene which has never been commercially produced or used in any manufacturing processes except for the transformation from higher chlorinated benzene was also identified in the range of 0.16 to 0.24 ppm. This suggested a possibility of sporadically HCB contamination in this stream. Of more important, people in the community along this canal earn their living by coastal fishery; hence, posing a risk of spreading HCB and its less chlorinated congeners via food chain from caught marine creatures to human. As a result, there is an urgent need to understand the behavior of HCB dechlorination in this stream sediment which can lead to a clean-up action in the future. Serum bottles with sediment slurries (sediment to water ratio of 1:1 (v/v) and filtered to remove particles larger than 0.7 mm) from each site were inoculated with 2 mg/l of HCB, kept anaerobically in the dark at room temperature without any nourishment, and analyzed for HCB and its less-chlorinated congeners every 6 days. Total chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and volatile suspended solids were in the range of 21,492-73,584, 158,100-518,100 and 6,000-32,700 mg/l, respectively. It was found that all sediment slurries began to dechlorinate HCB in 12 to 30 days and the HCB was completely removed within 42 to 60 days or so. On the other hand, there was no HCB dechlorination occurred in the controlled set which was sterilized by autoclaving prior to the addition of HCB. This implies that the HCB transformation was solely due to microorganisms' activities. HCB was dechlorinated principally via pentachlolobenzene to 1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzene and terminated at 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene which is the major pathway as reported by many researchers. Dichlorobenzene has not been detected in any samples within the dechlorination period of 60 days. The results indicate that the microbial matrix in the sediment of this stream has an outstanding capability to dechlorinate HCB. Existing substrates and nutrients which mainly sorbed onto the solid phase and the typical temperature in Thailand were sufficient and suitable to promote the activities of these HCB-dechlorinating microbes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4137-4141
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• 2016

Background: A recent guideline by the American Cancer Society recommended that mammography (MMG) should be done for women starting in their mid-40s. In Thailand, information on opportunistic mammography screening is limited and data on the total incidence of breast cancer are also lacking. The purpose of this study was to estimate the breast cancer detection, incident and prevalence rates among Thai women. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the opportunistic mammography screening of normal women between 30 and 80 years who underwent the procedure between 2001 and 2010. All cases were followed until 2012. The detection rate was calculated for the whole period of observation using 'number of women with positive findings' divided by 'total number of women screened'. The incidence rate was calculated only at the first MMG while the subsequence rate was calculated based on all new cases detected at each subsequent MMG. Results: Among the 47,430 women, there were 152,091 MMGs or approximately 3.2 occasions per person (range, 1-10). The average duration of the interval between each subsequence visit was 1.8 years. Overall, breast cancer was detected in 543 women, with a detection rate of 10.3 per 1,000 persons. The prevalence rate of breast cancer at the first visit was 5.78 per 1,000 persons. The incidence or new cases detected at any follow-up visit was 10.4 per 1,000 persons. The overall interval cancer was 0.91 per 1,000 women, mainly detected before their second and third MMG, with a rate of 0.0.47 and 0.76 per 1,000 women. Conclusions: Opportunistic mammography screening in Thailand detected 10 case of breast cancer from each 1,000 women. This paper indicated a high rate of cancer detection during a two year interval, hence, a screening mammogram should be performed more often.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.193-225
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper is to analyze contagion in Asian foreign exchange markets using Extreme Value Theory and Copula. Our application deals with asymptotic dependence of daily exchange rate return for a sample of eight countries over period 1997.1.1-2005.4.13. The empirical results are summarized as follows. Firstly, Gumbel Copula is a good model to our data according to the value of AIC. Secondly, the extremal dependence between East Asian crisis countries became lower in the post crisis period than the crisis period. Thirdly, It seemed that high extremal dependence exists between East Asian countries with Singapore. Fourthly, the tail dependence between Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippine became higher in the crisis period than the total period and post crisis period. Fifthly, the fact that the extremal dependence between Korea and Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippine did not increase during the Asian Financial Crisis showed that the contagion effect was not the reason of the Korea's Fiancial Crisis. Sixthly, the extremal dependence between Asian exchange markets was not very high while comparing with the European exchange markets.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4017-4023
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• 2012

Background and Aim: Polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) are known to be associated with predisposition for certain cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of lifestyle factors, family history and genetic polymorphisms in MTHFR C677T and A1298C on rectal cancer risk and possible interactions with lifestyle factors in Northeast Thailand. Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted during 2002-2006 with recruitment of 112 rectal cancer cases and 242 non-rectal cancer patient controls. Information was collected using a structured-questionnaire. Blood samples were obtained for assay of MTHFR C677T and A1298C genotypes by polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques. Associations between lifestyle factors, family history and genetic polymorphisms v.s. rectal cancer risk were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Results: Subjects with frequent and occasional constipation had a higher risk ($OR_{adj.}$=14.64; 95%CI=4.28-50.04 and $OR_{adj.}$=2.15; 95%CI=1.14-4.06), along with those who reported ever having hemorrhoids ($OR_{adj.}$=2.82; 95%CI=1.36-5.84) or a family history of cancer ($OR_{adj.}$=1.90; 95%CI=1.06-3.39). Consumption of a high level of pork was also associated with risk ($OR_{adj.}$=1.82; 95%CI=1.05-3.15). Interactions were not observed between MTHFR and other risk factors. Conclusions: This study suggested that the risk factors for rectal cancer in the Thai population are bowel habits, having had hemorrhoids, a family history of cancer and pork consumption.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4483-4486
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• 2016

Background: Despite the fact that ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women worldwide and the fifth leading cause of cancer death, It is the most common cause of death due to reproductive cancers in Thailand where epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is commonly found. According to a Thai statistical analysis in 2010 by the Department of Medical Services, epithelial ovarian cancer was the sixth most common cancer in Thailand from 2001to 2003.The incidence of 5.1 per 100,000 women per year. Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is a novo diagnostic tumor marker for EOC. The combination of HE4 and carcinoma antigen 125 (CA 125) is a tool for detecting epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) better than using CA 125 alone. Therefore, the researcher is interested in HE4 does have a role to predict recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: The patients who had complete response after diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer by pathology, FIGO stage 3 or more had been treated through surgery and chemotherapy at the Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital from June 2014 until March 2016. The patients were followed up every three months, using tumor marker (CA 125, HE4,Carcinoma antigen 19-9) together with other checkup methods, such as rectovaginal examination, CXR every year and other imaging as indication. Afterwards, the data was analyzed for the ability of HE4 to detect recurrence of epithelial ovarian cancer. Results: In 47 patients in this study follow-up for 22 months after complete response treatment from surgery and chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer, 23 had recurrent disease and HE4 titer rising. The patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer demonstrated high levels of both HE4 and CA125 with sensitivity of 91.3% and 52.7% respectively, specificity of 87.5% and 95.6% and positive predictive values of 87.5% and 85.7%. HE4 can predict recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (p-value=0.02242). Comparing HE4 and CA125 in predicting recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer HE4 had more potential than CA125 (p-value =0.8314). Conclusions: The present study showed HE4 to have a role in predicting recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer and HE4 is potentially better than CA125 as a marker for this purpose.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.277-281
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• 1999

Chemical composition of imported table salts from China (sun dried), Thailand (sun dried) and Australia (rock salt) were compared the mineral content and heavv metal contamination with Korean sun dried salt. Kimchies prepared by those salts were analyzed the quality by pH, acidity and sensory evaluation. Chemical compositions were as follows : moisturefrom 1.7% (Australia) to 8.7% (Korea), sodium chloride-from 86.7% (China, summer) to 97% (Australia), insoluble matter in water-from 0.02% (Australia) to 0.18 (China), and sulfate ionfrom 0.03% (Australia) to 1.65% (China, summer). Judging by Korean Standard(KS) of salt, salt from Australia and Thailand belong to 1st grade, Korean and Chinese (winter) to 2nd grade, and China (summer) were out of 3rd grade. Ca and Mg content of the salts tested were 0.022% (Australia) to 0.246 (China, winter), 0.036% (Australia) to 0.841% (China, summer) respectively and Pb was 1.23 ppm(China, summer)~0.61ppm(Korea) which is within the Korean regulation. The other heavy metals, Pb, Cd, As and Hg were not detected in all salts tested. The quality of Kimchi prepared by those salts were significantly no difference with Korean sun dried salt.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1222-1228
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• 2016

The objective of this research was to estimate genetic parameters and trends for length of productive life (LPL), lifetime number of piglets born alive (LBA), lifetime number of piglets weaned (LPW), lifetime litter birth weight (LBW), and lifetime litter weaning weight (LWW) in a commercial swine farm in Northern Thailand. Data were gathered during a 24-year period from July 1989 to August 2013. A total of 3,109 phenotypic records from 2,271 Landrace (L) and 838 Yorkshire sows (Y) were analyzed. Variance and covariance components, heritabilities and correlations were estimated using an Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AIREML) procedure. The 5-trait animal model contained the fixed effects of first farrowing year-season, breed group, and age at first farrowing. Random effects were sow and residual. Estimates of heritabilities were medium for all five traits ($0.17{\pm}0.04$ for LPL and LBA to $0.20{\pm}0.04$ for LPW). Genetic correlations among these traits were high, positive, and favorable (p<0.05), ranging from $0.93{\pm}0.02$ (LPL-LWW) to $0.99{\pm}0.02$ (LPL-LPW). Sow genetic trends were non-significant for LPL and all lifetime production traits. Sire genetic trends were negative and significant for LPL ($-2.54{\pm}0.65d/yr$; p = 0.0007), LBA ($-0.12{\pm}0.04piglets/yr$; p = 0.0073), LPW ($-0.14{\pm}0.04piglets/yr$; p = 0.0037), LBW ($-0.13{\pm}0.06kg/yr$; p = 0.0487), and LWW ($-0.69{\pm}0.31kg/yr$; p = 0.0365). Dam genetic trends were positive, small and significant for all traits ($1.04{\pm}0.42d/yr$ for LPL, p = 0.0217; $0.16{\pm}0.03piglets/yr$ for LBA, p<0.0001; $0.12{\pm}0.03piglets/yr$ for LPW, p = 0.0002; $0.29{\pm}0.04kg/yr$ for LBW, p<0.0001 and $1.23{\pm}0.19kg/yr$ for LWW, p<0.0001). Thus, the selection program in this commercial herd managed to improve both LPL and lifetime productive traits in sires and dams. It was ineffective to improve LPL and lifetime productive traits in sows.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.6089-6092
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• 2015

Background: The prevalence of metronidazole-resistant H. pylori is almost 50% in Thailand which severely limits the use of this drug for eradication therapy. The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of 7-day bismuth-based quadruple therapy including metronidazole as an initial treatment for H. pylori infection in a high metronidazole resistance area. Materials and Methods: This study was performed at Thammasat University Hospital and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital during January 2009 to October 2010. Patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) with active H. pylori infection were assigned to receive seven days of quadruple therapy (pantoprazole 40 mg bid, bismuth subsalicylate 1,048 mg bid, amoxicillin 1 gm bid and metronidazole 400 mg tid). H. pylori infection was defined as positive H. pylori culture or two positive tests (rapid urease test and histology). Antibiotic susceptibility test for metronidazole by Epsilometer test (E-test) was performed in all positive cultures. At least four weeks after treatment, $^{13}C$ urea breath test ($^{13}C-UBT$) was performed to confirm H. pylori eradication. Results: A total of 114 patients were enrolled in this study, 50 males and 64 females with a mean age of 49.8 years. All 114 patients had a diagnosis of NUD. Overall eradication as confirmed by negative $^{13}C-UBT$ was achieved in 94 out of 114 patients (82.5%). 44 patients had positive cultures and success for E-test. In vitro metronidazole resistance was observed in 22/44 (50%) patients. Eradication rate in patients with metronidazole resistant strains was 16/22 (72.7%) and 20/22 (90.1%) with metronidazole sensitive strains (72.7% vs 90.1%, p-value=0.12; OR=3.75 [95%CI=0.6-31.5]). Minor adverse reactions included nausea, bitter taste, diarrhea and black stools but none of the patients dropped out from the study. Conclusions: Initial treatment with 7-day bismuth-based quadruple therapy including metronidazole, amoxycillin and pantoprazole is highly effective and well tolerated for metronidazole-sensitive H. pylori infections. However, the efficacy markedly decline with metronidazole resistance. Longer duration of this regimen might be required to improve the eradication rate and larger multi-center studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.4885-4890
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• 2015

Background: Helicobacter pylori plays an important role in gastric cancer and typical eradication regimens are no longer effective in many countries, including Thailand. The aim of our study was to compare the effect of Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophillus on tailored triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Materials and Methods: This prospective single-center study was conducted in Thailand. Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis patients were randomized to 2 groups: group 1 (n=100) was tailored triple therapy with placebo (esomeprazole 20 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid or metronidazole 400 mg tid if clarithromycin resistance and amoxicillin 1000 mg bid), and group 2 was tailored triple therapy plus pretreatment with probiotic containing yogurt. Successful eradication was defined as both negative histology and negative rapid urease test at four weeks after treatment. Results: A total of 200 infected patients were enrolled. PP analysis involved 194 patients: 96 in the tailored triple therapy with placebo group (group 1) and 98 the in tailored triple therapy plus pretreatment with probiotic containing yogurt group (group 2). Successful eradication was observed in 170 (87.6%) patients; by PP analysis, the eradication rate was significantly higher in group 2 (P = 0.04, 95%CI; 0.02-0.13) than in group 1. ITT analysis also showed that the value was significantly higher in the tailored triple threapy plus pretreatment with probiotic containing yogurt group (group 2) (89/100; 89%) than in the tailored triple therapy with placebo group (group 1) (P= 0.01, 95%CI; 0.04-0.15). In terms of adverse events, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions: Pretreatment with probiotic containing yogurt can improve Helicobacter pylori eradication rates with tailored triple therapy. Adding probiotics does not reduce adverse effects of the medication.