• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2006

Exposure to soluble nickel compound produces toxic effects on immune system, but the mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. Differential gene expression was studied to understand the potential molecular mechanism responsible for acute toxicity induced by nickel acetate in spleen cells. We exposed mouse spleen cells to nickel acetate with a nontoxic dose ($40{\mu}M$) and then extracted total RNA at 6 h and 12 h after exposure. The RNA was hybridized onto 10K mouse oligonucleotide microarrays, and data were analyzed using GeneSpring 7.1. Nickel had a modest effects on expression of many genes, in the range of 1.3-3 fold. The expression profile showed time-dependent changes in expression levels of differentially expressed genes, including some important genes related to cell cycle, apoptosis and DNA repair. In hierarchical cluster analysis of duplicate experiments, 111 genes were screened out. Out of these, 44 genes showing time- dependent up-regulation (>1.5 fold) and 38 genes showing down-regulation (>1.5 fold) at all time points were chosen for further analysis. The change in the expression of three genes (GPX1, GADD45B and FAIM) after nickel treatment was validated using RT-PCR. As a rule, a number of genes appear to be coordinately regulated between cell survival and cell death from nickel toxicity. In conclusion, changes in the gene profile in the spleen after nickel treatment are complex and genes with diverse functions are modulated. These findings will be contributed to the understanding of the complicated biological effects of nickel.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2007

This study was conducted to examine the protein kinase inhibitors, 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) and cycloheximide (CHXM) on the development and chromosome constitution of porcine parthenogenetic embryos. In vitro matured oocytes were activated by electric stimuli (ES) or a combination of ES with culture in 2 mM DMAP or $10{\mu}g/ml$ CHXM for 4 hr. Activated oocytes were cultured in PZM-3 for 6 days. Some 1-cell embryos and blastocysts were fixed by air dry method to analyze the chromosome constitutions and/or total cell number. Blastocyst development of DMAP-treated group (26.7%) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of CHXM-treated and ES control groups. Ploidy in 1-cell stage embryos was not different among groups (77.3 to 81.0%), however, proportion of diploid chromosome constitutions was high in DMAP-treated group (61.9%, p<0.05). In the blastocyst stage, proportion of diploid chromosome plates was significantly high in DMAP-treated group (64.2%, p<0.05), and proportion of abnormal chromosome plates was higher in CHXM-treated group (36.6%, p<0.05) than DMAP-treated group (28.3%,). Proportion of embryos with abnormal chromosome constitutions was slightly increased by DMAP (40.0%) and CHXM (42.1%) treatment due to the increasing of mixoploid (47.4 and 52.0%). The present study shows that the DMAP treatment increase the development of porcine parthenotes. However, parthenogenetic activation by ES or combined treatment with ES and DMAP or CHXM detrimentally affects the chromosome constitutions of porcine parthenotes during early embryonic development, leads to increased abnormal ploidy in the blastocyst stage.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.93-98
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the changes of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme during in vitro development with washing culture oil in porcine embryos. During the culture, the four types of culture oil such as paraffin oil with or without washing and mineral oil with or without washing were examined. The oil was washed with PZM-3 during 7 days and collected oil only. The embryos were stained with CellTracker$^{TM}$ Red, DCFDA and Hoechst 33342 to confirm the effects of the oil. As a results, Cleavage rates and total cell number were no difference among the four oil groups. However, ${\geq}16$ cell embryos were significantly different in fore type oil treatment and blastocyst rate was significantly higher washing paraffin treatment than in other group(p<0.05). Also, the expression of free radical were lower in washing paraffin oil than in other groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, the expression of glutathione were not significant different among paraffin oil with or without washing and mineral oil with or without washing, however washing paraffin oil and washing mineral groups were higher than other treatment groups. In conclusion, the washing oil was expected with positive effects on in vitro development in porcine embryos.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.340-345
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• 2002

In this experiment, oocytes were collected from goat ovaries available in slaughterhouse by follicle puncture method. Morphologically culturable type of oocytes which having compact, multilayered cumulus granulosa cell complex and evenly granulated cytoplasm, was separated under a stereozoom microscope. Oocytes were washed thoroughly in maturation medium containing TCM-199, $1{\mu}g/ml$ estradiol-$17{\beta}$, 0.5 ${\mu}g/ml$ FSH, $100{\mu}g/ml$ LH, 3 mg/ml BSA and 10% estrus goat serum. Washed oocytes were cultured into maturation medium on granulosa cell monolayer. Culture plate was then kept into $CO_2$ incubator at $38{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, maximum humidity and 5% $CO_2$ for 18 h. After maturation the oocytes were washed thoroughly with maturation medium containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) without serum and BSA and further cultured for 12 h for secretory proteins of oocytes. PVA medium was collected, pooled and concentrated by 5000 cut off centrisart. Secretory proteins were separated on 12.5% SDS-PAGE. A total number of 3.41 oocytes per ovary were obtained and 2.17 culturable oocytes per ovary were cultured into maturation medium. After 18 h of maturation, 4,567 oocytes (1.82 oocytes per ovary) were further cultured into serum and BSA free PVA medium for its secretory proteins. Four secretory proteins of oocytes with approximately molecular weight of 45, 55, 65 and 95 kDa were obtained on SDS-PAGE in silver staining and three proteins with approximately molecular weight of 45, 55 and 65 kDa in Coomassie brilliant blue staining. In conclusion, four secretory proteins with approximately molecular weight of 45, 55, 65 and 95 kDa was obtained from in vitro cultured oocytes of goats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.2 no.1 s.4
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• pp.143-152
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• 2002

The objectives of this paper were to obtain the fundamental data to analyze the causes of deterioration of 39 freeway concrete viaducts in Seoul metropolitan area. To investigate the degree of concrete deterioration, carbonation depth, soluble chloride concentration in hardened concrete and half-cell potentials of reinforcement were measured. The number of structures which carbonation depth penetrates to reinforcement was 25% of total. The model of carbonation .ate was induced to 3.92 $\sqrt{t}$, which was 5% faster than 3.727 $\sqrt{t}$ assumed 60% water-cement ratio, R=1 in that of kishitani. After measuring chloride concentration in concrete, it was concluded that about 24% of all readings on samples from concrete exceed the critical content to minimize the risk of chloride-induced corrosion. About 31% of the freeway viaducts structures had a value lower than -350mV(vs. CSE), so it could conclude that the excessive chloride concentration was the major cause of reinforcement corrosion. Among the structures which measured half-cell potentials less than -350mV, about 50% exceeds the maximum acceptable limit of chloride concentration.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2903-2908
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• 2015

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the eighth most common cancer as estimated from worldwide data. The incidence of HNC in Peninsular Malaysia was reported as 8.5 per 100,000 population. This study was aimed to determine the treatment outcomes for HNC patients treated in the Oncology Unit of University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). Materials and Methods: All newly diagnosed patients with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (HNSCC) referred for treatment to the Oncology Unit at UMMC from 2003-2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment outcomes were 5-year overall survival (OS), cause specific survival (CSS), loco-regional control (LRC) and radiotherapy (RT) related side effects. Kaplan-Meier and log rank analyses were used to determine survival outcomes, stratified according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage. Results: A total of 130 cases were analysed. Most cases (81.5%) were at late stage (AJCC III-IVB) at presentation. The 5-year OS for the whole study population was 34.4% with a median follow up of 24 months. The 5-year OS according to AJCC stage was 100%, 48.2%, 41.4% and 22.0% for stage I, II, III and IVA-B, respectively. The 5-year overall CSS and LCR were 45.4% and 55.4%, respectively. Late effects of RT were documented in 41.4% of patients. The most common late effect was xerostomia. Conclusions: The treatment outcome of HNSCC at our centre is lagging behind those of developed nations. Efforts to increase the number of patients presenting in earlier stages, increase in the use of combined modality treatment, especially concurrent chemoradiotherapy and implementation of intensity modulated radiotherapy, may lead to better outcomes for our HNC patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.189-196
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• 2019

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effects of different oxygen conditions (20% [high O₂], 5% [low O₂] and 5% decreased to 2% [dynamic O₂]) on mouse pre- and peri-implantation development using a novel double-channel gas supply (DCGS) incubator (CNC Biotech Inc.) to alter the oxygen concentration during in vitro culture. Methods: The high-O₂ and low-O₂ groups were cultured from the one-cell to the blastocyst stage under 20% and 5% oxygen concentrations, respectively. In the dynamic-O₂ group, mouse embryos were cultured from the one-cell to the morula stage under 5% O₂ for 3 days, followed by culture under 2% O₂ to the blastocyst stage. To evaluate peri-implantation development, the blastocysts from the three groups were individually transferred to a fibronectin-coated dish and cultured to the outgrowth stage in droplets. Results: The blastocyst formation rate was significantly higher in the low-O₂ and dynamic-O₂ groups than in the high-O₂ group. The total cell number was significantly higher in the dynamic-O₂ group than in the low-O₂ and high-O₂ groups. Additionally, the apoptotic index was significantly lower in the low-O₂ and dynamic-O₂ groups than in the high-O₂ group. The trophoblast outgrowth rate and spread area were significantly higher in the low-O₂ and dynamic-O₂ groups than in the high-O₂ group. Conclusion: Our results showed that a dynamic oxygen concentration (decreasing from 5% to 2%) had beneficial effects on mouse pre- and peri-implantation development. Optimized, dynamic changing of oxygen concentrations using the novel DCGS incubator could improve the developmental competence of in vitro cultured embryos in a human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2004

As a new service category to better support TCP traffic in ATM networks, the Guaranteed Frame Rate (GFR) service category aims to support minimum cell rate guarantee, fairly distribute available bandwidth while keeping the simplicity of Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR). In this paper, we proposed a buffer management scheme which uses the per-VC accounting of single FWO queue and capable of supporting both GFR.1 and GFR.2 conformance definition. The proposed buffer management deal with GFR.1 and GFR.2 conformance definitions differentially by controlling the number of CLP=0 cell and CLP=1 cell which are occupying buffer space. The simulation results show that our proposed scheme satisfies the requirements of GFR services as well as improves total fairness index and each conformance definition fairness index.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1703-1706
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• 2014

Background: The current standard treatment for patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (CHOP). A significant number of patients were not treated with recommended dose of rituximab due to limited financial resources in Malaysia. This study evaluates the efficacy of R-CHOP like chemotherapy in Malaysian patients with DLBCL. Materials and Methods: The study comprised a retrospective analysis of patients with DLBCL treated at a single centre. The outcome was compared with patients who were treated with R-CHOP like and CHOP like chemotherapy. Patients who were treated with lower dose of rituximab was subanalysed for outcome. Results: A total of 86 patients who had CHOP-like chemotherapy were included. Only 39 (45%) patients had rituximab and only 12 (29%) patients had the recommended dose. The overall response (OR) and complete response (CR) rates were 88% and 81% respectively. There was no significant difference in OR and CR in patients who had rituximab and those without rituxmab. Those with International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of ${\leq}2$ had significant higher CR rate, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (p<0.001). Conclusions: The lack of significant improvement in CR and DFS in our patients may be due to an inadequate dose of rituximab.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7781-7784
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• 2014

Background: The aims of this study were to investigate the utility of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) as a simple and readily available marker in prostate cancer, as well as to evaluate RDW as a predictor of progression in prostate cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 62 newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy and 62 healthy controls of mean age 64 (range, 45-75) years at the Urology Clinic of Bozok University Hospital. Data collection was performed using our laboratory information system database to retrieve findings regarding RDW, hemoglobin, prostatespecific antigen (PSA), and age. The RDW values were compared between the healthy control group and prostate cancer patients. A high risk of progression as defined as a Gleason score (GS) >6, total number of cores positive for cancer >33%, each core containing >50% cancer cells, and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level >10 ng/mL. Patients were classified according to risk of progression, as well as divided into subgroups according to the RDW quartile. Results: The mean RDW value of prostate cancer patients was 14.6, compared with 13.7 in the healthy control group (p=0.001). A higher RDW was associated with an increased risk of progression, whereas a lower RDW value was correlated with a low risk of progression. Conclusions: RDW is an easily derived measure that might, in combination with other markers, help predict prostate cancer risk and progression. We suggest that RDW may be used in combination with other parameters in the assessment of prostate cancer.