Exposure to Leather Tanning Factories Lowers Semen Quality in Mongolian Men

Objectives: To examine the difference in semen qualities of male workers in leather tanning factories and of those in other industries. Methods: Eighty reproductive aged male workers from six leather tanning factories and eighty-five from non-tanning workplaces participated in the study as the exposed subjects and non-exposed subjects, respectively. Each subject was given a physical examination, required to complete a questionnaire, and asked to supply a semen specimen. Semen analysis on fresh specimens followed the latest World Health Organization guideline. Semen parameters were compared between the exposed and non-exposed subjects using tabulation and chi-square test for categorical variables and t-test or rank-sum test for continuous variables. Multiple linear or logistic regression models were constructed to examine the independent effects of exposure. Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, exposed subjects had significantly higher percentages of grade C motility (p=0.008), mid-piece defect (p=0.009), and tail-defect (p=0.029) in their spermatozoa compared to non-exposed subjects. Liquefaction time was also longer (p=0.046). Conclusion: Leather tanning workers have significantly higher percentages of grade C motility, mid-piece defect, and tail-defect in their spermatozoa

Differences in prostate tumor characteristics and survival among religious groups in Songkhla, Thailand

Abstract Background The incidence and mortality from prostate cancer is expected to increase in the next decade in Thailand. Despite the perceived lower risk in this population vs. developed, western countries, it is becoming an important public health issue. Prostate cancer incidence varies between the most predominant religious groups in Thailand, Buddhists and Muslims. However limited data is available describing the prostate cancer survival in these two populations. Here we examine differences in prostate tumor characteristics and survival between Buddhists and Muslims in the province of Songkhla, Thailand. Methods 945 incident prostate cancer cases (1990–2014) from the population-based Songkhla Cancer Registry were used in this analysis. Age, grade, stage, and year at diagnosis were compared across religious groups, using Wilcoxon or Chi-square tests. Kaplan Meier methods were used to estimate the median survival time and 5-year survival probabilities. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) between religious groups and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for mortality in age-adjusted and fully-adjusted models. Results Prostate tumor characteristics, age, and year at diagnosis were similar across religious groups. The median survival time after diagnosis of prostate cancer was longer in Buddhists 3.8 years compared with Muslims 3.2 years (p = 0.08). The age-adjusted risk of death after prostate cancer diagnosis was higher in Muslims compared with Buddhists (HR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.00, 1.72). After adjustment by stage and grade, results were slightly attenuated (HR: 1.27, 95%CI: 0.97, 1.67). Conclusion Muslims have shorter survival after prostate cancer diagnosis than do Buddhists in Thailand. The reasons underlying this difference require additional investigation in order to design targeted interventions for both populations.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146539/1/12885_2018_Article_5102.pd

Childhood cancer incidence and survival in Thailand: A comprehensive population‐based registry analysis, 1990–2011

BackgroundSoutheast Asia is undergoing a transition from infectious to chronic diseases, including a dramatic increase in adult cancers. Childhood cancer research in Thailand has focused predominantly on leukemias and lymphomas or only examined children for a short period of time. This comprehensive multisite study examined childhood cancer incidence and survival rates in Thailand across all International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) groups over a 20‐year period.MethodsCancer cases diagnosed in children ages 0‐19 years (n = 3574) from 1990 to 2011 were extracted from five provincial population‐based Thai registries, covering approximately 10% of the population. Descriptive statistics of the quality of the registries were evaluated. Age‐standardized incidence rates (ASRs) were calculated using the Segi world standard population, and relative survival was computed using the Kaplan‐Meier method. Changes in incidence and survival were analyzed using Joinpoint Regression and reported as annual percent changes (APC).ResultsThe ASR of all childhood cancers during the study period was 98.5 per million person‐years with 91.0 per million person‐years in 1990–2000 and 106.2 per million person‐years in 2001–2011. Incidence of all childhood cancers increased significantly (APC = 1.2%, P < 0.01). The top three cancer groups were leukemias, brain tumors, and lymphomas. The 5‐year survival for all childhood cancers significantly improved from 39.4% in 1990–2000 to 47.2% in 2001–2011 (P < 0.01).ConclusionsBoth childhood cancer incidence and survival rates have increased, suggesting improvement in the health care system as more cases are identified and treated. Analyzing childhood cancer trends in low‐ and middle‐income countries can improve understanding of cancer etiology and pediatric health care disparities.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146559/1/pbc27428_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146559/2/pbc27428.pd

Impact of viral replication inhibition by entecavir on peripheral T lymphocyte subpopulations in chronic hepatitis B patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To investigate dynamic fluctuations of serum viral load and peripheral T-lymphocyte subpopulations of chronic hepatitis B patients and their correlation during entecavir therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-five patients received entecavir 0.5 mg/d therapy. Serum HBV DNA load was measured by Real-Time-PCR, and the levels of peripheral T-lymphocyte subpopulations by flow cytometry biweekly, every four weeks and every eight weeks during weeks 1–12, 13–24 and 24–48, respectively. Multilevel modelling was used to analyse the relationship between these variables.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 55 patients, all HBeAg positive and with detectable HBV DNA, the majority (81.8%) had serum levels of HBV DNA over 10⁷copies per milliliter. HBV viral load dropped sharply during the first two weeks. In 28 and 43 patients, the level became undetectable from week 24 and 48, respectively. Using pre-therapy level as the reference, a significant decrease in CD8⁺T cells and increase in CD4⁺T cells were found from week 12. Both parameters and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ratio steadily improved throughout the 48 weeks. Multilevel analyses showed that the level of decrement of HBV DNA was associated with the increment of T-lymphocyte activities only in the later period (4–48 week). After 4 weeks of therapy, for each log₁₀scale decrement of HBV DNA, the percentage of CD4⁺lymphocyte was increased by 0.49 and that of CD8⁺decreased by 0.51.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>T-lymphocyte subpopulations could be restored partially by entecavir treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B concurrently with reduction of viremia.</p

รายงานวิจัยฉบับสมบูรณ์ความเกี่ยวพันกันของยีนหลากหลายทางพันธุกรรมโพรอินเฟลมมาทอรี่ไซโตคายยีนส์กับการเกิดมะเร็งช่องปากในประชากรภาคใต้

Prince of Songkla Universit

Clinicopathologic characteristics and survival outcomes of primary mucosal melanomas: A 10-year retrospective analysis from a single tertiary medical center in Thailand

Primary mucosal melanoma is a rare, aggressive neoplasm and there is limited data in Asian. We aim is to describe the clinicopathologic features and to evaluate overall survival rate (OS). We reviewed 17 cases over a 10-year period. The mean age was 60.9 ± 14.8 with 94.1% being female. The female genital tract was the principal location (52.9%). The most presenting symptoms were masses (88.2%), with 44.1% being amelanotic melanoma. The majority of patients (41.2%) had TNM stage IV. The median OS was 19.5 months, whilst the 1- and 3-year OS were; 70.6% (95% CI, 51.9–95.9%) and 9.8% (95% CI, 1.6–59.5%), respectively. Keywords: Anorectal, Female genital tract, Head and neck, Primary mucosal melanoma, Survival outcom

CPIRD: A successful Thai programme to produce clinically competent medical graduates [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/5i3]

The programme titled “Collaborative Project to Increase Production of Rural Doctors” (CPIRD) is a rural medical education project launched in 1994 in Thailand. This study aimed to compare the academic performances in medical study over five years and the pass rates in national medical license examinations (MLE) between students enrolled in CPIRD and two other tracks. Grade point average (GPA) over five years and results of MLEs for four cohorts of students enrolled from 2003 to 2006 in Prince of Songkla University were collected from the registration department. A longitudinal analysis was used to compare the GPA over time for medical students enrolled in CPIRD and those from the national and direct regional tracks through generalized estimating equation (GEE) models. The MLE pass rates were compared using chi-square and fisher's exact tests as appropriate. Female students dominated the CPIRD group. GPAs in the first three years in the CPIRD group were significantly lower than those of the other two groups, this disparity narrowed in the fourth and fifth years. For step one of the MLE (basic sciences), cohorts 2003 and 2006 of the CPIRD group had a significantly lower pass rate than the other two groups but there was no significant difference in cohort 2004 and cohort 2005. The CPIRD step two and three MLE pass rates were not significantly different from the national track in all cohorts and lower than the direct track only for step two in cohort 2003 and step three in cohort 2006. The step three pass rate of the CPIRD group in cohort 2004 was significantly higher than the other two tracks. Despite weaker competency in basic science, the CPIRD was successful in forming clinical competency