• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.150-161
• /
• 2009

Purpose : Staphylococcus aureus causes a variety of infections, ranging from benign skin infections to fatal invasive infections. Recently, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections have emerged in patients who do not have established risk factors. This study was conducted to characterize S. aureus infections in children with an emphasis on communityassociated MRSA infections at a tertiary care pediatric facility during a 3-year period. Methods : Four hundred twenty-nine cases of S. aureus infections diagnosed at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January 2004 and December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. The cases were classified as hospitalonset (HO) or community-onset (CO), healthcare-associated (HA), or community-associated (CA) infections. Results : Among the 206 cases <1 year of age, 72%, 7%, and 21% were HO-HA, CO-HA, and CA infections, respectively, as compared to 48%, 28%, and 24% among the 223 cases >1 year of age. The proportion of CO-HA infections among HA infections (8.6% vs. 37.1%, P<0.001) and the proportion of HA infections among the CO infections (24.5% vs. 54.3%, P <0.001) were greater in older children than in infants. Overall, 57% of the isolates were methicillin-resistant. Twenty-nine (30%) of 96 CA strains were MRSA, and the most common site of CA-MRSA infection was the skin and soft tissues (26 cases). Conclusion : The methicillin resistance rate of S. aureus from CA infections was high and CA-MRSA was most often associated with skin and soft tissue infections.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.329-336
• /
• 2004

Objectives : Iron (Fe) is an essential element in biological processes; however excessive Fe is harmful to human health. Some air pollutants contain a high level of Fe, and the human lung could therefore be over-exposed to Fe through inhaled air pollutants. This study was performed to investigate the role of metal transporters (divalent metal transporter 1, DMT1, and metal transporter protein 1, MTP1) in the lung under the environments of Fe deficiency in the body and Fe over-exposure in the lung. Methods : Rats were fed Fe deficient (FeD, 2-6 mg Fe/kg) or Fe supplemented (FeS, 120 mg Fe/kg) diet for 4 weeks, followed by a single intratracheal instillation of ferrous sulfate at low (10 mg/kg) or high (20 mg/kg) dose. Fe concentration was analyzed in the serum, lung and liver, and histopathological findings were observed in the lung at 24 hours after Fe administration. The level of DMT1 and MTP1 expression in the lung was analyzed by RT-PCR. Also, the effect of Fe deficiency in the body was evaluated on the level of Fe concentration and metal transporters compared to FeS-diet fed rats at the end of 4-week FeD or FeS diet. Results : The 4-week FeD diet in rats induced an Fe deficiency anemia with decreased serum total Fe, increased unsaturated Fe binding capacity and hypochromic microcytic red blood cells. The concentration of Fe in the lung and liver was lower in the FeD-diet fed rats than in the FeS-diet fed rats. The level of metal transporters mRNA expression was higher in the FeD-diet fed rats than in the FeS-diet. The concentration of Fe in the lung was increased in a dose-dependent pattern after intratracheal instillation of Fe into the rats, while the level of Fe in the serum and liver was not increased in the low-dose Fe administered rats. Therefore, DMT1 and MTP1 mRNA was highly expressed in both FeD-diet and FeS-diet fed rats, after intratracheal instillation of Fe. Conclusions : DMT1 and MTP1 mRNA were more highly expressed in FeD-diet fed rats than in FeS-diet fed rats. The over-exposure of Fe intratracheally induced high expression of metal transporters and increased Fe deposition in the lung in both FeD-diet and FeS-diet fed rats, but did not increase the Fe level of the serum and liver in low-dose Fe administered rats. These results suggest that the role of metal transporters in the lung might be different in a part from the duodenum under the environment of over-exposure to Fe.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.73-86
• /
• 2018

Agricultural or rural landscape provides various ecosystem services. However, the ecosystem services function is declining due to various environmental problems such as climate change, land use change, stream intensification, non-point pollution and garbage. The A1B scenario predicts that the mean air temperature of South Korea will rise $3.8^{\circ}C$ degrees celsius in 2100. Agricultural sector is very vulnerable to climate change, so it must be thoroughly predicted and managed. In Korea, the facility horticulture complex is 54,051ha in 2016 and is the 3rd largest in the world(MAFRA, 2014). Facilities of horticultural complexes are reported to cause problems such as groundwater decrease, vegetation and insects diversity reduction, landscapes damage and garbage increase, compared with the existing land use paddy fields. Heat island phenomenon associated with climate change is also accelerated by the high heat absorption of horticultural sites. Therefore, we analyzed the heat island phenomenon occurring in the facility of horticultural complex in Korea. As an improvement measurement, I examined how much air temperature is reduced by putting the channel and the open space. In the case of the Buyeo area, the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation was analyzed for the average summer temperature distribution in the current land use mode at $38.9^{\circ}C$. As an improvement measurement, CFD simulation after 10% of 6m water channel was found to have an effect of lowering the summer temperature of about $2.7^{\circ}C$ compared with the present average of $36.2^{\circ}C$. In addition, CFD simulations after analyzing 10% of the open space were analyzed at $34.7^{\circ}C$, which is $4.2^{\circ}C$ lower than the present. For the Jinju area, CFD simulations were analyzed for the average temperature of summer at $37.8^{\circ}C$ in the present land use pattern. As an improvement measure, CFD simulations after 10% of 6m water channel were found to have an effect of lowering the summer temperature of about $2.6^{\circ}C$ compared to the current average of $35.2^{\circ}C$. In addition, CFD simulations after analyzing 10% of the open space were analyzed at $33.9^{\circ}C$, which is $3.9^{\circ}C$ lower than the present. It can be said that the effect of summer temperature drop in open space and waterway has been proven. The results of this study are expected to be reflected in sustainable agriculture land use and used as basic data for government - level policy in land use planning for climate change.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.369-376
• /
• 1993

226 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with curative radiation therapy at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Dongsan hospital, Keimyung university, School of medicine, from July,1988 to May,1991 were evaluated. The patients with all stages of the disease were included in this study. The maximum and mean follow up durations were 60 and 43 months. The radiation therapy consisted of external irradiation to the whole pelvis (2700~4500 cGy) and boost parametrial doses (for a total of 4500~6300 cGy)with midline shild $(4{\times}10\;cm),$ and combined with intracavitary irradiation (5700~7500 cGy to point A). The distribution of patients according to the stage was as follows: stage IB 37 $(16.4\%),$ stage IIA 91 $(40.3\%),$ stage IIB 58 $(25.7\%),$ stage III 32 $(13.8\%),$ stage IV 8 $(3.5\%).$ The overall failure rate was $23.9\%$ (54 patients). The failure rate increased as a function of stage from $13.5\%$ in stage IB to $15.4\%$ in stage IIA, $25.9\%$ in stage IIB, $46.9\%$ in stage III, and $62.5\%$ in stage UV. The pelvic failure alone were 32 patients and 11 patients were as a components of other failure, and remaining 11 patients had distant metastasis only. Among the 43 patients of locoregional failure,28 patients were not controlled initially and in other words nearly half of total failures were due to residual tumor. The mean medial paracervical (point A) doses were 6700 cGy in stage IIB,7200 cGy in stage IIA,7450 cGy in stage IIB,7600 cGy in stage III and 8100 cGy in stage IV. The medial paracervical doses showed some correlation with tumor control rate in early stage of disease (stage Ib, IIA), but there were higher central failure rate in advanced stage in spite of higher paracervical doses. In advanced stage, failure were not reduced by simple increment of paracervical doses. To improve a locoregional control rate in advanced stages, it is necessary to give additional treatment such as concomitant chemoradiation.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.56-64
• /
• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristic perfusion changes in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome by comparison of the findings of brain MR images and perfusion SPECT images. $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO or $^{99m}Tc$-ECD interictal brain SPECTs were performed on 5 pediatric patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome within 2 weeks after MR imaging. Brain SPECTs of three patients without calcification showed diminished perfusion in the affected area on MR image. A 3 month-old patient without brain atrophy or calcification demonstrated paradoxical hyperperfusion in the affected hemisphere, and follow-up perfusion SPECT revealed decreased perfusion in the same area. The other patient with advanced calcified lesion and atrophy on MR image showed diffusely decreased perfusion in the affected hemisphere, but a focal area of increased perfusion was also noted in the ipsilateral temporal lobe on SPECT. In conclusion, brain perfusion of the affected area of Sturge-Weber syndrome patients was usually diminished, but early or advanced patients may show paradoxical diffuse or focal hyperperfusion in the affected hemisphere. Further studies are needed for better understanding of these perfusion changes and pathophysiology of Sturge-Weber syndrome.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.104-109
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Conventional pinhole scintigraphy offers a high resolution and generally use for thyroid scan or bone scintigraphy. the aim of this study is to evaluate performance of each aperture according to the diameter size. Materials and Methods: In this study 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm diameter pinhole collimators were mounted on Siemens E.CAM systems. In order to evaluate performance evaluation of each aperture, we acquired projection image by using SPECT for evaluating FWHM, resolution test and static image for evaluating thyroid phantom test. Results: As a result of FWHM showed 2.2 mm FWHM, 3.2 mm FWHM, 5.4 mm FWHM, 7.5 mm FWHM per each aperture in the resolution test. SNR, uniformity, contrast were acquired result from thyroid phantom test comparing general image and delayed image. as a result of SNR showed 6.55, 8.47, 6.2, 5.23 in case of general image and 5.25, 5.01, 5.38, 5.82 in case of delayed image per each aperture. as a result of uniformity showed 0.152, 0.118, 0.161, 0.19 in case of general image and 0.19, 0.199, 0.185, 0.171 in case of delayed image per each aperture. as a result of contrast showed 1.31, 1.19, 1.15, 1.01 in case of general image and 1.09, 1.08, 1.04, 1 in case of delayed image per each aperture. Conclusion: Resolution and sensitivity were heavily influenced by aperture size. and also we found advantage of delayed image as a result of thyroid phantom test.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.147-160
• /
• 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate roughage to concentrate ratio on the changes of productivity and metabolic profiling in milk. Six lactating Holstein cows were divided into two groups, T1 group was fed low-concentrate diet (Italian ryegrass to concentrate ratio = 8:2) and T2 group was fed high-concentrate diet (Italian ryegrass to concentrate ratio = 2:8). Milk samples were collected and its components and metabolites were analyzed by ¹H-NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance). The result of milk components such as milk fat, milk protein, solids-not-fat, lactose and somatic cell count were not significantly different between two groups. In carbohydrate metabolites, trehalose and xylose were significantly higher (P<0.05) in T1 group, however lactose was not significantly different between two groups. In amino acid metabolites, glycine was the highest concentration however, there was no significant difference observed between two groups. Urea and methionine were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the T2 group. In lipid metabolites, carnitine, choline and O-acetylcarnitine there were no significant difference observed between the two groups. In benzoic acid metabolites, tartrate was significantly higher (P<0.05) in T2 group. In organic acid metabolites, acetate was significantly higher (P<0.05) in T1 group and fumarate was significantly higher (P<0.05) in T2 group. In the other metabolites, 3-methylxanthine was only significantly higher (P<0.05) in T2 group and riboflavin was only significantly higher (P<0.05) in T1 group. As a result, milk components were not significantly different between two groups. However, metabolites concentration in the milk was significantly different depends on roughage to concentrate ratio.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.7-13
• /
• 2015

Hydrotrope-combined copper (HCC) is a copper ($Cu^{2+}$)-based algicide, which is combined with a hydrotrope that keeps copper ion in solution to improve performance. This study assessed the growth inhibition effect of HCC against Microcystis aeruginosa which is one of the most common toxic cyanobacterium in eutrophic freshwater environment. Various HCC doses, ranging from 5.5 to $550{\mu}g/L$ as $Cu^{2+}$, were applied to either BG-11 or 1/4 diluted medium with low- or high-inoculum density of M. aeruginosa. Growth inhibition was monitored based on a decrease in chlorophyll-a content in culture medium during the incubation. Results showed that HCC significantly inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa in a dose-dependent manner. In case of 1/4 diluted BG-11 medium, HCC dose as low as $5.5{\mu}g$ $Cu^{2+}/L$ completely inhibited the production of chlorophyll-a by M. aeruginosa. It was found that HCC did not induce any significant release of microcystin-LR from M. aeruginosa. Acute toxicity of HCC was tested using Daphnia magna, and the 24-h $EC_{50}$ value was 0.30 mg/L as $Cu^{2+}$ which was much higher than the actual inhibition dose. Ames test was performed using Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium TA100, and HCC showed no increase in the number of revertant colonies. The result suggested that HCC does not have any mutagenic potential in the aquatic environment. In addition, no genotoxic effect of HCC was also confirmed based on the SOS ChromoTest using Escherichia coli PQ37. Therefore, HCC could be used as a relatively safe and effective pre- and post-treatment agent to control hazardous algal blooming in aquatic environments.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.409-418
• /
• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary probiotics and immunomodulator on growth performance, carcass characteristics, fecal $NH_3$ content and pathogenic bacteria counts in ileum and cecum and ileum of broiler chicken (Korean native chicken, HanHyup No. 3). A total of 120 (day-old) chicks were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 3 replicates and there were 8 birds per replicate. Dietary treatments consisted of five diets; the corn-soybean based control diet (C), the diet containing antibiotics (Avilamycin) 10 ppm (T1), the diet containing probiotics 1 [(Lactobacillus ($4.45{\times}10^6$) + yeast ($1.51{\times}10^6$) + Bacillus subtilis ($3.50{\times}10^5$)] at 0.5% level (T2), probiotics 2 [(Lactobacillus ($6.70{\times}10^7$) + yeast ($3.10{\times}10^6$)] at 0.5% level in diet (T3), and the diet containing probiotics 3 [T2 + ${\beta}$-glucan + organic acid] (T4) and raised for 9 weeks. There were no significant differences among treatments in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. Carcass ratios of broilers were higher in T3 and T4 than other treatments, however, the differences were non-significant. Internal organs and liver, heart weight were significantly increased in T4 (p<0.05) compared to other treatments. The fecal $NH_3$ gas content was decreased (p<0.05) in antibiotics fed group than others. However, probiotic fed groups were not different when compared with control. The number of Salmonella and E. coli in cecum were reduced in the group supplemented with probiotics and immunomodulator compared to the antibiotics (p<0.05). In this experiment, we showed that diets containing pro-biotics and immunomodulator were capable of an alternative to antibiotics.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.96-102
• /
• 2012

This study was designed to evaluate a repeated oral dose toxicity and immunomodulating activity of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ in Sprague-Dawley rats. The female rats were treated with $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ of control group, low group (0.5 ml/kg), medium group (1 ml/kg), high group (2 ml/kg) for distilled water, intragastrically for 4 weeks, respectively. To ensure the safety of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana $ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ such as the following were observed and tested. We examined the body weight, the feed intake, the clinical signs, the ophthalmological test, the hematological and the serum biochemical analysis. We also observed the histopathological changes of liver and kidney in rats. Hematological results were the increase of neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in the high dose group of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$. The increase immune cells in the high dose group of $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ might immunomodulating activity. No significant differences in body weight, feed intake, serum biochemical analysis and histopathological between control and fed group were found. In conclusion, $Pulsatilla$ $koreana$ and $Artemisiae$ $annuae$ is physiologically safe and improve immunomodulating activity.