Humans ; Teas, Herbal/analysis* ; Beverages/analysis* ; Tea ; Liver Neoplasms

Thailand is one of the largest citrus producers in Southeast Asia. Pathogenic infection by Phytophthora, however, has become one of major impediments to production. This study identified a pathogenic oomycete isolated from rotted roots of pomelo (Citrus maxima) in Thailand as Phytophthora nicotianae by the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA sequence analysis. Then, we examined the in vitro and in vivo effects of Chaetomium globosum, Chaetomium lucknowense, Chaetomium cupreum and their crude extracts as biological control agents in controlling this P. nicotianae strain. Represent as antagonists in biculture test, the tested Chaetomium species inhibited mycelial growth by 50~56% and parasitized the hyphae, resulting in degradation of P. nicotianae mycelia after 30 days. The crude extracts of these Chaetomium species exhibited antifungal activities against mycelial growth of P. nicotianae, with effective doses of 2.6~101.4 microg/mL. Under greenhouse conditions, application of spores and methanol extracts of these Chaetomium species to pomelo seedlings inoculated with P. nicotianae reduced root rot by 66~71% and increased plant weight by 72~85% compared to that in the control. The method of application of antagonistic spores to control the disease was simple and economical, and it may thus be applicable for large-scale, highly effective biological control of this pathogen.
Asia, Southeastern ; Biological Control Agents* ; Chaetomium* ; Citrus* ; Complex Mixtures ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Hyphae ; Methanol ; Oomycetes ; Phytophthora* ; Plants ; Seedlings ; Sequence Analysis ; Spores ; Thailand ; Tobacco*

The necessary role of genital infection by specific types of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical cancer development provides an opportunity to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, a second leading cancer in women, through prophylactic vaccination. Two types of vaccines targeting HPV 16 and 18 which are responsible for about 70% of all cervical cancer worldwide have been developed: a quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil?) and a bivalent vaccine (Cervarix?). Gardasil also targets HPV 6 and 11 causing 90% of genital wart. Both two vaccines contain virus-like particles composed of L1 protein of viral capsid and do not exert infectivity. HPV vaccines were highly effective in preventing persistent infection by vaccine specific type HPV in young women who have not been previously exposed to them. Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials have provided evidence that HPV vaccines have high efficacy against cervical precancerous lesion in young women irrespective of baseline HPV infection status. However, HPV vaccines neither treat existing HPV infections nor provide protection against all types of HPV related with cervical cancer. Therefore, even vaccinated females should take cervical cancer screening as recommended. Gardasil has been tested mainly in 9~26 years old females and Cervarix in 15~25 years old. Current recommendation for vaccination age is 9~26 years for Gardasil and 10~25 years for Cervarix, considering sexual debut and previous clinical trials. There are plenty of remaining issues regarding HPV vaccination such as vaccine efficacy in older women and in males, cost-effectiveness, duration of protection, cross-protection, potential replacement infection, and vaccine compatibility.
Cancer Vaccines ; Capsid ; Condylomata Acuminata ; Female ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Human papillomavirus 18 ; Human papillomavirus 6 ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vaccination ; Vaccines ; Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18

No abstract available.
Carcinoma in Situ ; Gas, Natural

The impact of indoor allergens is greater than that of outdoor or occupational environments. Cockroaches have been demonstrated to be an etiologic factor in allergic diseases, especially in patients with lower socioeconomic classes in large urban areas. Infestations of cockroaches are largely dependent on housing conditions, and hypersensitivity is dependent on exposure. We herein report a 38-year-old man with factitious urticaria revealed strong positive reactions to crude extracts of American cockroach and German cockroach at a skin pinprick test and Western blot analysis.
Adult ; Allergens ; Blattellidae ; Blotting, Western ; Cockroaches* ; Complex Mixtures ; Housing ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Periplaneta ; Skin ; Urticaria*

Spontaneous neonatal esophageal perforation (EP) is a rare condition. However, iatrogenic EP due to a feeding tube is not uncommon, particularly in premature infants. Iatrogenic EP can result in serious complications, such as a pneumothorax, and can be fatal. Usually a pneumothorax develops as a result of EP. However, we experienced an EP in a patient with a pneumothorax. The EP occurred after inserting a feeding tube while the patient was suffering from a pneumothorax. Thus care is needed when inserting the feeding tube in a patient with a pneumothorax.
Complex Mixtures ; Esophageal Perforation ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Pneumothorax ; Stress, Psychological

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Shrimp is one of the most common food allergens. The salted and fermented shrimp (S/F shrimp) is a traditional food and ingested frequently in the daily life of many Korean people. But few studies have been investigated on the allergenicity of S/F shrimp. The aim of our study is to observe the allergenicity of S/F shrimp and to compare it with the allergenicity of shrimp. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Crude extracts were made from three kinds of S/F shrimps and four kinds of shrimps after boiling. The extracts were used for SDS-PAGE, ELISA, ELISA inhibition test, immunoblotting, and immunoblotting inhibition test with sera from 10 subjects who have shrimp specific IgE by radioallergosorbent (RAST) (3+ or 4+). RESULTS: The protein concentrations of S/F shrimp extracts were less than half of the extracts of shrimps (1.9 mg/ml, 1.2 mg/ml, 1.1 mg/ml vs 4mg/ml, 3.83 mg/ml, 6.8 mg/ml, 6.6 mg/ml). The extracts of S/F shrimp showed weaker and more diffusely distributed protein bands in SDS-PAGE and showed less than half of the O.D. value in IgE-ELISA compared to those of shrimp extracts. The specific IgE immunoblotting of S/F shrimp extracts showed 9 bands (36, 33, 30, 29, 28, 26, 23, 20, 19 kDa). Dose dependent inhibition was observed between shrimps and S/F shrimp in ELISA-inhibition and immnunoblotting inhibition test. The allergen concentration of S/F shrimp needed to inhibit 50% of shrimp-lgE ELISA was five times higher than that of shrimp. CONCLUSION: The crude extracts of S/F shrimps showed less than half the amount of protein compared to crude extracts of shrimps have and also showed reduced allergenicity by salting and fermentation.
Allergens ; Complex Mixtures ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fermentation ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E

PURPOSE: Mold allergy is the one of the major causes of atopic diseases including asthma, and the Alternaria exists year-round in Korea is recognized as an important cause of many atopic asthma. Recent studies stress the significance of Alternaria as a cause of respiratory problems although detailed knowledge on this organism is limited, especially the relationship of the fungi to respiratory ailments as well as the allergenic nature of this organism. METHODS: The authors studied the purification methods of Alternaria allergen and examine how the allergen acts on atopic asthma. The Alternaria samples were cultured in potato-dextrose broth for 10 days, and a crude extract was obtained after dialysis and filtration. The crude extract was subjected to SDS-PAGE followed by staining, and the allergen was analyzed. Three subjects who showed positive allergy skin test to Alternaria were subjected to RAST and allergy skin test with the crude extract. RESULTS: SDS-PAGE of the curde extract showed more than 30 allergenic bands, and among those, 5 kD, 28 kD, 31 kD and 34 kD bands were the major allergens, indicating that the purification method used in the present study produced an extract with almost all major allergens. In 3 patients with Alternaria allergy we carried out allergy skin test with crude extracts. All three subjects showed positive allergy skin test. CONCLUSION: The crude extract obtained major allergens including 70 kD, 65 kD, 34 kD, 31 kD, 28 kD and 16 kD allergens, and like the results reported outside Korea. Alternaria was proved to be a major allergen in atopic asthma in Korea as well.
Allergens* ; Alternaria* ; Asthma ; Complex Mixtures ; Dialysis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Filtration ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Skin Tests

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous chemicals contained in industrial substances and plasticizers commonly utilized worldwide. Human exposure to such chemicals, particularly at low-doses, is omnipresent, persistent, and occurs in complex mixtures. EDCs include bisphenol A, phthalates, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls. Burgeoning epidemiological, animal, and cellular data link environmental EDCs to metabolic dysfunction. In the last three decades, the number of diabetic patients has drastically increased worldwide, with current statistics suggesting that the number will double in the next two decades. There is epidemiological and experimental evidence linking background exposure to a selection of environmental EDCs with diabetes and impaired glucose metabolism. EDC may be related to increased risk of diabetes.
Animals ; Complex Mixtures ; Endocrine Disruptors ; Environmental Pollution* ; Glucose ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Pesticides ; Plasticizers ; Plastics ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Medicinal plants play important roles in controlling plant diseases as one of the safest and ecofriendly methods. These plants have been used in the form of crude extracts as well as active principles in vitro and under field conditions to control plant diseases. Among the active principles, alkaloids have shown significant antifungal activity. We have investigated the effect of two alkaloids viz., (-)-corydahnine and (-)-isocorypahnine isolated from Corydalis chaerophylla, against spore germination of some plant pathogenic and saprophytic fungal spores. Significant inhibition of spore germination at 100 microg/ml was seen against Curvularia penniseti, Curvularia sp. and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides by (-)-corydahnine but (-)-isocorypalmine was also effective against fungi included in the experiment.
Alkaloids* ; Colletotrichum ; Complex Mixtures ; Corydalis* ; Fungi* ; Germination ; Plant Diseases ; Plants ; Plants, Medicinal ; Spores ; Spores, Fungal