• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 1991

This study was conducted to evaluate the difference of staphylococcal colonization between lactating mothers and nursery stares. Samples were obtained from the hands and noses of the newborn(admitted to S Univ. hospital's nursery from 1991. 5. 23 to 6. 8), their mothers and nursery staffs. They were cultured, and then the presence/absence of pathogenic staphylococci in them were analyzed by Fisher exact probability test which led to these conclusion of significance as follows: 1. No differences were detected in pathogenic rate of nasal swab culture between breast~fed newborns and formula-fed ones. 2. Delivery type and hospitalization the ones from the brest-fed newborns show high rate of Sta. aureus coa(+). In case of either C-sec delivery or long (more than 4 days) hospitalization, formula-fed ones in case of NSVD or short (less than 3 days) hospitalization. 3. The ones from breast feeding mothers show higher sta. aureus coa(+) than those from nursery staffs, which was of no significance statistically. Considering nursery staffs only, however, the comparison of those with the data in April indicates that the pathogen rate is higher for hand than nose, and Sta aureus coa(+) for hand is far lower in June than in April, which was statistically significant. These results lead us to infer that newborn infection in hospitalization could be largely reduced by maintaining the ordinary hygienes. Such as the handwashing of mothers as well as nursery staffs (directly involved in newborn care) Thus the pre-enterance hand washing of a mother who visits the nursery only for breast feeding (without any other medical responsibility) should be done, like other medical agents, with $0.05\%$ chlorhexidine antiseptics rather than simple soap cleansing; the one 'that is worth emphasizing thoroughly.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.279-286
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is multicultural adolescents' family reconstruction and maladaptation. Six multicultural adolescents living in Seoul, Gyeonggido, Chungchungdo, Jeolado were selected for the in-depth interview. Data were collected from August to December, 2019. This research is Giorgi's phenomenological method. The results provided 10 themes on the essential structure of experience and 4 theme clusters. The final 10 themes were unintentional choice: immigration, unfamiliar family relationship forming, unacceptable dissatisfaction and anger, absence of belonging and promising, missing homeland, keeping close relationship with old friends, difficulty of learning, following Korea culture, identity crisis and wandering, difficulty in adaptation : addiction to games and misdemeanour. Therefore, it is suggested to announce importance of family meaning and adaptation in Korea society.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.412-420
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• 2011

Secretion of cellobiase occurred in a brefeldin A (BFA) uninhibited manner in the filamentous fungus Termitomyces clypeatus. Fluorescence confocal microscopy revealed that application of the drug at a concentration of 50 ${\mu}g$/ml caused arrest of Spitzenkorper assembly at the hyphal tip. This resulted in greater than 30% inhibition of total protein secretion in the culture medium. However, the cellobiase titer increased by 17%, and an additional 13% was localized in the vacuolar fraction en route secretion. The secretory vacuoles formed in the presence of the drug were also found to be bigger (68 nm) than those in the control cultures (40 nm). The enzyme secreted in the presence and absence of BFA revealed a single activity band in both cases in native PAGE and had similar molecular masses (approx. 120 kDa) in SDS-PAGE. The BFA enzyme retained 72% of native glycosylation. It also exhibited a higher stability and retained 98% activity at $50^{\circ}C$, 93.3% activity at pH 9, 63.64% activity in the presence of 1M guanidium hydrochloride, and 50% activity at a glucose concentration of 10 mg/ml in comparison to 68% activity, 75% activity, 36% activity, and 19% activity for the control enzyme, respectively. The observations collectively aimed at the operation of an alternative secretory pathway, distinct from the target of brefeldin A, which bypassed the Golgi apparatus, but still was able to deliver the cargo to the vacuoles for secretion. This can be utilized in selectively enhancing the yield and stability of glycosidases for a successful industrial recipe.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.829-835
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• 2009

A dextransucrase (LcDS) gene from Leuconostoc citreum HJ-P4 has been amplified and cloned in E. coli. The LcDS gene consists of 4,431 nucleotides encoding 1,477 amino acid residues sharing 63-98% of amino acid sequence identities with other known dextransucrases from Leuc. mesenteroides. Interestingly, 0.1 mM of IPTG induction at $15^{\circ}C$ remarkably increased the LcDS productivity to 19,187 U/I culture broth, which was over 330-fold higher than that induced at $37^{\circ}C$. Optimal reaction temperature and pH of LcDS were determined as $35^{\circ}C$ and pH 5.5 in 20 mM sodium acetate buffer, respectively. Meanwhile, 0.1 mM $CaCl_2$ increased its activity to the maximum of 686 U/mg, which was 2.1-fold higher than that in the absence of calcium ion. Similar to the native Leuconostoc dextransucrase, recombinant LcDS could successfully produce a series of isomaltooligosaccharides from sucrose and maltose, on the basis of its transglycosylation activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1024-1032
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• 2008

Efficient expression of the Salmonella Typhimurium tdc ABCDEG operon involved in the degradation of L-serine and L-threonine requires TdcA, the transcriptional activator of the tdc operon. We found that the tdcA gene was transiently activated when the bacterial growth condition was changed from aerobic to anaerobic, but this was not observed if Salmonella was grown anaerobically from the beginning of the culture. Expression kinetics of six tdc genes after anaerobic shock demonstrated by a real-time PCR assay showed that the tdc CDEG genes were not induced in the tdcA mutant but tdcB maintained its inducibility by anaerobic shock even in the absence of tdcA, suggesting that an additional unknown transcriptional regulation may be working for the tdcB expression. We also investigated the effects of nucleoid-associated proteins by primer extension analysis and found that H-NS repressed tdcA under anaerobic shock conditions, and fis mutation delayed the peak expression time of the tdc operon. DNA microarray analysis of genes regulated by TdcA revealed that the genes involved in N-acetylmannosamine, maltose, and propanediol utilization were significantly induced in a tdcA mutant. These findings suggest that Tdc enzymes may playa pivotal role in energy metabolism under a sudden change of oxygen tension.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.114-120
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• 2018

Purpose: Routine screening for toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (TORCH) in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA) neonates has become a common practice. However, the incidence of TORCH varies across countries, and the cost of TORCH testing may be disadvantageous compared to disease-specific screening. To evaluate the efficacy of TORCH screening, the medical charts of IUGR or SGA neonates born in a single institution in Bucheon, Korea from 2011 to 2015 were reviewed. Methods: The clinical data of the 126 IUGR or SGA neonates were gathered, including gestational age, Apgar scores, neonatal sonographic findings, chromosome study, morbidities, developmental follow-up, and growth catch-up. Maternal factors including underlying maternal disease and fetal sonography were collected, and placental findings were recorded when available. TORCH screening was done using serum IgM, CMV urine culture, quantification of CMV DNA with real-time polymerase chain reaction, and rapid plasma reagin qualitative test for syphilis. Tests were repeated only for those with positive results. Results: Of the 119 TORCH screenings, only one was positive for toxoplasmosis IgM. This result was deemed false positive due to negative IgM on repeated testing and the absence of clinical symptoms. Conclusion: Considering the incidence and risk of TORCH in Korea, the financial burden of TORCH screening, and the single positive TORCH finding in our study, we suggest disease-specific screening based on maternal history and the clinical symptoms of the neonate. Regarding CMV, which may present asymptomatically, universal screening may be appropriate upon cost-benefit analysis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2001

Objective: To verify the expression of leptin receptor (OB-R) in oocytes and preimplantation embryos, the involvement of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK or Erk1/2) in the leptin signaling, and effect of leptin on the oocyte maturation in mice. Method: RT-PCR analysis of OB-R was conducted in germinal vesicle (GV)-intact and MII stage oocytes, and 1, 2, 8-cell embryos and blastocysts. Germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB), polar body extrusion, monitored in the presence or absence of leptin ($1{\mu}M$). Following the leptin treatment, temporal changes in MAPK activity were verified by immunoprecipitation and in vitro kinase assay in MII oocytes. Results: The expression of OB-R mRNA was found in GV and MII oocyte but not in the embryos. MAPK activity of the MII oocytes was significantly increased by brief incubation in the HTF supplemented with leptin ($1{\mu}M$). Priming of PD098059, a MEK inhibitor to leptin treatment attenuated the activation of MAPK by leptin in MII oocytes. Following 24 hrs of culture of the GV oocytes, leptin significant increased the GVB and 1 st polar body extrusion. Conclusion: This result suggested that functional interaction between leptin and OB-R resulted in potentiation of MAPK (Erk1/2) activity in MII oocytes through MEK activation and that leptin might be a local regulator of meiotic maturation of the mouse oocytes.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2014

Methanotrophic denitrification under a non-aerated condition (without external supply of oxygen or air) was investigated in a bioreactor coupled with a membrane diffuser. Batch experiment demonstrated that both methane consumption and nitrogen production rates were not high in the absence of oxygen, but most of the nitrate was reduced into $N_2$ with 88% recovery efficiency. The methane utilized for nitrate reduction was determined at 1.63 mmol $CH_4$/mmol $NO_3{^-}$-N, which was 2.6 times higher than the theoretical value. In spite of no oxygen supply, methanotrophic denitrification was well performed in the bioreactor, due to enhanced mass transfer of the methane by the membrane diffuser and utilization of oxygen remaining in the influent. The denitrification efficiency and specific denitrification rate were 47% and 1.69 mg $NO_3{^-}-N/g\;VSS{\cdot}hr$, respectively, which were slightly lower than for methanotrophic denitrification under an aerobic condition. The average concentration of total organic carbon in the effluent was as low as 2.45 mg/L, which indicates that it can be applicable as a post-denitrification method for the reclamation of secondary wastewater effluent. The dominant fatty acid methyl ester of mixed culture in the bioreactor was $C_{16:1{\omega}7c}$ and $C_{18:1{\omega}7c}$, which was predominantly found in type I and II methanotrophs, respectively. This study presents the potential of methanotrophic denitrification without externally excess oxygen supply as a post-denitrification option for various water treatment or reclamation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2002

Soil samples were screened for actinomycete strains capable of producing phospholipase D, and a strain, Streptomyces sp. YU100, showing a high transphosphatidylation activity was isolated. This strain secreted phospholipase D in a culture broth after 12 h of cultivation, and its productivity continued to increase for 36 h of fermentation. In addition, its transphosphatidylation rate of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylserine was almost $68\%$ within 1 h. The morphological and chemotaxonomical characteristics showed that this strain could be classified as a number of the Streptomycetaceae family, particularly due to the spiral form of its spore chain consisting of 60-70 smooth spores $(0.75{\times}1.0{\mu}m$) on an aerial mycelium, FA-2c type of fatty acid profile in the cell wall, and LL-DAP component in the cell wall peptidoglycan. A phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA provided a clue that the strain YU100 was actually a member of the genus Streptomyces, because the determined sequence exhibited a higher homology with Streptomyes sp. ASB27, S. peucetius JCM9920, and S. griseus ATCC10137. A dendrogram based on the 16S rDNA sequences also showed a phylogenetic relationship between the strain YU100 and these strains. However, the strain YU100 has not yet been assigned to a particular species, because of absence of any other classified species with a high matching score.

• Mycobiology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2016

The most economically important species used in a wide range of fermentation industries throughout Asia belong to Aspergillus section Flavi, which are morphologically and phylogenetically indistinguishable, with a few being toxigenic and therefore a major concern. They are frequently isolated from Korean fermentation starters, such as nuruk and meju. The growing popularity of traditional Korean alcoholic beverages has led to a demand for their quality enhancement, therefore requiring selection of efficient non-toxigenic strains to assist effective fermentation. This study was performed to classify the most efficient strains of Aspergillus section Flavi isolated from various types of traditional wheat nuruk, based on a polyphasic approach involving molecular and biochemical evaluation. A total of 69 strains were isolated based on colony morphology and identified as Aspergillus oryzae/flavus based on internal transcribed spacer and calmodulin gene sequencing. Interestingly, none were toxigenic based on PCR amplification of intergenic regions of the aflatoxin cluster genes norB-cypA and the absence of aflatoxin in the culture supernatants by thin-layer chromatography analysis. Saccharification capability of the isolates, assessed through ${\alpha}-amylase$ and glucoamylase activities, revealed that two isolates, TNA24 and TNA15, showed the highest levels of activity. Although the degrees of variation in ${\alpha}-amylase$ and glucoamylase activities among the isolates were higher, there were only slight differences in acid protease activity among the isolates with two, TNA28 and TNA36, showing the highest activities. Furthermore, statistical analyses showed that ${\alpha}-amylase$ activity was positively correlated with glucoamylase activity (p < 0.001), and therefore screening for either was sufficient to predict the saccharifying capacity of the Aspergillus strain.