Evaluation of statistical methods in the Journal of Korean Academy of Periodontology published from 2000 to 2006 / 대한치주과학회지

PURPOSE: This article is purposed to present the correct statistic method by pointing out the statistical errors after analyzing the method of articles that were published in Korean Academy Journal of Periodontology and made statistic processes in them. METHODS: 488 science papers which being put in Korean Academy Journal of Periodontology published from 2000 to 2006 was divided according to year. RESULTS: In the 308 articles that applied statistic methods, 59 articles (50.0%), the largest portion of all, were included the case that applied incorrect parametric statistic method when needed to apply parametric statistics and 38 articles (32.2%) were included in the case that applied incorrect parametric statistic method when needed to apply non-parametric statistics. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to present the cases of inappropriate statistical methods in order to improve the quality of academic researches. Also, to apply adequate methods of statistics, it is suggested to report the articles periodically which are comparing and analyzing the statistical methods that are applied in the international articles in periodontal field.

The study of Standardization Plan and Usefulness of Moxa Combustion / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

[Objective] It makes a through study on the popularization and usefulness plan of Moxa Combustion, therefore popularizing practical use of that.<BR>[Methods] It was based on the established treatises and books, in order to studying about the literature of Moxa Combustion.<BR>[Results & Conclusions] It makes a through study on the whole of Moxa Combustion, the results as follows.<BR>1. We explained (illustrated) the origin, history, classification and mechanism (effect) of Moxa Combustion.<BR>2. The study of standardization plan of Moxa Combustion for popularization.<BR>The thermal stimulation of Moxa Combustion was decided the characteristic pattern of combustion temperature by moxa burning and that makes a measure to grasp the effective action of Moxa Combustion upon human body. Thereupon it is necessary to continue further studies by analyzing the characteristic pattern of combustion temperature by moxa burning and there clinical effects in practice.<BR>3. The usefulness of Moxa Combustion.<BR>The therapeutic effect of Moxa Combustion are hematopoiesis (increase the blood), analgesic function, increase the immunity, antioxidant activity, diuretic action, control of hormone (endocrine gland), suppression of carcinogenesis, increase the self involution (natural healing), decrease of GOT/GPT, glucose, cholesterol level.

Vascular endothelial growth factor expression and angiogenesis in gastric carcinoma / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that angiogenesis plays an important role in the growth and progression of solid tumors, including gastric carcinoma. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is the most potent known inducer of microvascular hyperpermeability; in addition, it is a selective mitogen for endothelial cells. In this study, we studied that the relationship between angiogenesis and the expression of VEGF in gastric carcinoma. METHODS: 23 early gastric carcinomas and 28 advanced gastric carcinomas obtained by surgical resection were studied. Expression of the VEGF was semiquantitatively analyzed in paraffin sections by immunohistochemical method. Histologic sections immunostained for CD31 antigen were evaluated for microvessel density. RESULTS: The VEGF was mainly localized to the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells. Expression of the VEGF was significantly higher in advanced gastric carcinoma than in early gastric carcinoma (p 0.05). The expression of CD31 was higher in advanced gastric carcinoma than in early gastric carcinoma. In gastric carcinoma, a correlation was observed between CD31 expression and the stage of the disease, the degree of histological differentiation. Also VEGF and CD 31 expression was observed significant correlation. CONCLUSION: VEGF is an important angiogenic factor associated with progression of the gastric carcinoma. Neovascularization assessment by CD 31 immunostaining was another efficient method for defining groups of tumors with aggressive clinical course.

An associatioin of cagA+ helicobacter pylori infection with cell proliferation in gastric mucosae of gastritis and gastric cancer patients / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that cytotoxin associated gene A (cagA) is a marker of more virulent strains of H. pylori and cagA bearing H. pylori is more pathogenic in the gastrointestinal diseases. On the other hand, according to several reports H. pylori causes the cell proliferation, which may be an important mechanism of gastric carcinogenesis. So, we studied to elucidate whether there is the association of the cagA positive H. pylori infection with cell proliferation on the gastric mucosae of the patients with gastritis and gastric cancer or not. METHODS: In this study, 27 gastritis and 35 gastric cancer patients were included. PCR assay for the detection of H. pylori(ureA PCR) and cagA bearing H. pylori(eagA PCR) were performed on the gastric mucosal biopsy specimen. Immunohistochemical study using the MIB 1 Ab against Ki 67 antigen was carried out to evaluate the cell proliferation. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 85.2%(23/27) in the patients with gastritis and 54.3%(19/ 35) in the patients with gastric cancer. The prevalence of cagA+ strain of H. pylori was 52.2%(12/23) and 47.4%(9/ 19) in the patients with gastritis and gastric cancer. In the patients with gastritis, the degree of cell proliferation was not different in the ureA positive(24.8%) and ureA negative(21.7%) gastric mucosae. Moreover, the difference of cell proliferation was not observed according to the presence or absence of cagA gene(29.4% vs 19.9%) among the ureA positive gastric mucosae. In the patients with gastric cancer, cell proliferation indices were 25.5% and 27.5% in the ureA postive and cagA negative gastric mucosae, 28.1% and 22.2% in the cagA positive and cagA negative group among the ureA positive gastric mucosae. There was no significant difference statistically. CONCLUSIONS: There was no association of cagA+ strain of H. pylori with cell proliferation in the gastric mucosae of the patients with gastritis and gastric cancer. It was presumed that more studies are needed to elucidate the role of H. pylori infection in the gastric carcinogenesis.