• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.145-150
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• 2017

Purpose: The gut microbiota can influence several diseases through immune modulation; however, the exact role of microbes such as Clostridium difficile and the relationship between microbiota colonization and allergic diseases are not well known. This study aimed to determine the relationship between C. difficile colonization and/or infection (CDCI) during infancy and allergic diseases during early childhood. Methods: Infants 1-12 months of age presenting changes in bowel habits for more than 2 weeks were enrolled in this study. After dividing them into 2 groups according to the presence and absence of C. difficile, the risk of allergic disease development during childhood was identified and compared. Results: Sixty-five patients were included in this study; 22 (33.8%) were diagnosed with CDCI. No significant differences were observed in baseline characteristics between the C. difficile-positive and-negative groups except for antibiotic exposure (22.7% vs. 60.5%, P=0.004). Compared to the C. difficile-negative group, the risk of developing at least one allergic disease was higher in the C. difficile-positive group after adjusting other variables (adjusted odds ratios, 5.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.52-20.74; P=0.007). Furthermore, food allergies were more prevalent in the C. difficile-positive group (P=0.03). Conclusion: CDCI during infancy were associated with a higher risk of developing allergic diseases during early childhood. These results suggest that CDCI during infancy might reflect the reduced diversity of the intestinal microbiota, which is associated with an increased risk of allergic sensitization. To identify the underlying mechanism, further investigation and a larger cohort study will be needed.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2003

In this study, antibacterial activity on the chicken feed supplemented with different concentrations of oriental herbal medicine feed additives (OHMFA) extract was tested for some organisms and their preventive effects on the colonization of Salmonella enteritidis (SE) in broiler chickens were examined. The growth of Bacillus cereus, listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited on the feed of 0.25% OHMFA and Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were inhibited on the feed containing 2.0% level. The broiler chickens fed a forage additived 1.0% level of OHMFA after inoculation of a $10^7CFU/ml$ of SE were increased in weight than the chicken fed forage without OHMFA. The incidence of SE in liver, spleen and cecum of the chickens fed forage with OHMFA was decreased on the 7th days of postinfection and SE was not isolated from the organs of the chickens after the 14th days of postinfection. Serum antibody titers of the chickens were lowered than the control group.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.329-336
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• 2017

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the tolerance of micropropagated and mycorrhized alpinia plants to the parasite Meloidogyne arenaria. The experimental design was completely randomized with a factorial arrangement of four inoculation treatments with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Gigaspora albida, Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Acaulospora longula, and a non-inoculated control) in the presence or absence of M. arenaria with five replicates. The following characteristics were evaluated after 270 days of mycorrhization and 170 days of M. arenaria inoculation: height, number of leaves and tillers, fresh mass of aerial and subterranean parts, dry mass of aerial parts, foliar area, nutritional content, mycorrhizal colonization, AMF sporulation, and the number of galls, egg masses, and eggs. The results indicated a significant interaction between the treatments for AMF spore density, total mycorrhizal colonization, and nutrient content (Zn, Na, and N), while the remaining parameters were influenced by either AMF or nematodes. Plants inoculated with A. longula or C. etunicatum exhibited greater growth than the control. Lower N content was observed in plants inoculated with AMF, while Zn and Na were found in larger quantities in plants inoculated with C. etunicatum. Fewer galls were observed on mycorrhized plants, and egg mass production and the number of eggs were lower in plants inoculated with G. albida. Plants inoculated with A. longula showed a higher percentage of total mycorrhizal colonization in the presence of the nematode. Therefore, the association of micropropagated alpinia plants and A. longula enhanced tolerance to parasitism by M. arenaria.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the effects of gargling using normal saline or essential oil on oral bacterial colonization of the subjects who did transoral endotracheal intubation for general anesthesia. Methods: A repeated measures, non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The subjects of the study included 58 people; the gargling group with normal saline (n=19); the gargling group with essential oil (n=20); and the control group (n=19). Data were collected from University hospitals in a Korean province from August 13-31, 2012. The collected data were analyzed with $X^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA and Scheff$\acute{e}$ test using SPSS 19.0. Results: Although statistically significant differences among the three groups did not appear in the change of the aerobic bacterial colony before and after the experiments, the aerobic bacterial colony of the gargling group with normal saline ($71.58{\pm}143.39$) and the group with essential oil ($6.95{\pm}332.07$) have increased less compared to the control group ($145.42{\pm}385.01$). The change of the anaerobic bacterial colony before and after the experiments, the control group was ($167.58{\pm}483.58$) and the gargling group with essential oil was ($169.70{\pm}291.60$) and increased, while the gargling group with normal saline ($-42{\pm}331.09$) reduced, but statistically significant differences have not appeared. Conclusion: These findings indicated that oral gargling with normal saline is effective in reducing anaerobic bacterial colonization.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.477-481
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• 2013

Purpose: Ureaplasma colonization is related with perinatal complications in preterm infants. Little is known about the difference in virulence among various Ureaplasma urealyticum serovars. The aim of this study was to determine U. urealyticum serovars of preterm infants in order to assess whether any of the serovars were associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods: Three hundred forty-four preterm infants with a gestational age less than 34 weeks admitted to Gangnam Severance Hospital neonatal intensive care unit from July 2011 to December 2012 were included in this study. Tracheal and gastric aspirations were conducted on infants to confirm Ureaplasma colonization. Ureaplasma colonization was confirmed in 9% of infants, of these, serovars were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: A total of 31 infants (gestational age, $29.3{\pm}3.1$ weeks; birth weight, $1,170{\pm}790g$) were U. urealyticum positive. The Ureaplasma positive group treated for more days with oxygen and ventilation than the negative group (P<0.05). Histologic chorioamnionitis and moderate to severe BPD were more frequent in the Ureaplasma positive group than in the negative group (P<0.05). U. urealyticum isolates were either found to be a mixture of multiple serovars (32%), serovar 9 alone or combined with other serovars (39%), serovar 11 (26%), 2 (13%), 8 (10%), 10 (13%), and 13 (25%). No individual serovars were significantly associated with moderate to severe BPD and chorioamnionitis. Conclusion: This is the first study to describe the distribution of U. urealyticum serovars from Korean preterm infants. Ureaplasma -colonized infants showed higher incidence of BPD and chorioamnionitis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.147-154
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• 2005

A survey for vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) status was undertaken in three different industrially polluted sites at Uyyakondan channel of Senthanneerpuram area in Trichy, India. The soils and the effluents were acidic, and contained higher Zn (621 to 711 ppm) than the other heavy metals, such as Cu, Pb, and Ni. Eighteen plant species were collected from the rhizosphere soils, and 13 species were positive for VAM colonization. Fifteen VAM fungal species were isolated from the plant species. The number of VAM fungal spores from the soils ranged from 45 to 640 per 100 g of soil. There was a significant correlation observed between the number of spores and percentage root colonization, as exemplified by Acalypha indica (45 and 20%, respectively) and Paspalum vaginatum (640 and 98%, respectively). Hostspecific and site-specific associations were observed in site 2; particular VAM species, Gigaspora gigantea and Glomus fasciculatum, were specific to particular host plants, Phyllanthus maderaspatensis and A. indica, respectively, even though Eclipta prostrata and Physalis minima were maximally associated with 8 VAM species. G. fasciculatum was found in 11 plant species and predominant VAM species. These results led us to conclude that VAM fungi are associated with a majority of the plants in the industrial polluted sites and support the plants to survive in the acidic soils, polluted with heavy metals of the industrial effluents.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.243-246
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• 2002

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary propionic acid on inhibitory effect of Salmonella gallinarum. Day-old 144 broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four dietary treatments, three replicates per treatment. The four dietary treatments consisted of 0.0, 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8% dietary propionic acid. Chicks were challenged orally on three days of age with $10^6$ cfu Salmonella gallinarum. Sample of crop and cecal contents were obtained on Days 1, 8 and 15 post-inoculation. The pH of crop contents decreased significantly (p<0.01) for groups of chicks provided 1.2 and 1.8% propionic acid in the diet as compared with those provided 0.6% propionic acid and control group. The pH of cecal contents decreased significantly (p<0.01) for groups of chicks provided with 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8% of propionic acid as compared with control group. The number of Salmonella gallinarum positive culture in the crop and ceca of chicks, decreased significantly (p<0.01) from the groups provided with 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8% of propionic acid in the diet at day 1, 8 and 15 post-inoculation. The addition of 1.8% propionic acid in the diet provided a high level of protection against colonization than did 0.6 and 1.2%. These results indicate that the addition of propionic acid in a concentration of 1.2 or more to the diet of newly hatched chicks significantly decreases crop and cecal colonization by Salmonella gallinarum.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.323-327
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• 1992

An experiment was conducted to determine whether there were any apparent differences in the microbial population, colonization pattern and digestion of guinea grass in situ, between cattle and swamp buffalo. Percentage losses in dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) of guinea grass were significantly (p<0.01) higher when incubated in the rumen of buffalo than in cattle. Buffalo also showed significantly (p<0.05) faster degradation rates than cattle for each grass component (DM, N, DNF). Light microscopy and SEM examination of the incubated grass materials showed that there were no apparent differences in the pattern of bacterial and fungal invasion and colonization of the grass materials between cattle and buffalo. Attachment of bacteria and fungal zoospores on the grass fragments occurred at 15 min after rumen incubation. After 3 h of rumen incubation, dense population of bacteria was observed in the thin-walled mesophyll and parenchyma tissues, whereas root-like fungal rhizoids were observed in both thin-walled and thick-walled cells. By 6 h, eroded zones were apparent in the thin-walled tissues and in thick-walled tissues with profuse rhizoids. After 24. 48 and 72 h of rumen incubation, most thin-walled tissues were degraded leaving mostly the thick-walled tissues. The predominant bacteria were the curved rods resembling Butyrivibrio sp., the thick rods resembling Fibrobacter sp., the diplococcoids resumbling Ruminococcus sp. And spirochetes. Fungi were predominantly those with spherical or oval sporangia. Fusiform sporangia with acuminate apices which resembled Ruminomyces sp. Were of lesser occurrence. Few protozoa were found on the grass fragments at all incubation times.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2004

Paenibacillus polymyxa E681, with its plant growth promotion and root colonization ability, has been proven to be a promising biocontrol agent of cucumber and barley. This study investigated the attributes related to the movement of bacteria from the seed to the radicle and to the whole root system. It also illustrated the existing form and population changes of the bacteria on seed and root using the scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The bacteria invaded and colonized the inside of the seed coat while the seeds were soaked in bacterial suspension. Almost the same number of bacteria on seed surface invaded the inside of the seed coat right after seed soaking. The population densities of E681 increased greatly inside as well as on the surface of the seed before the radicle emerged. The bacteria attached on the emerging radicle directly affected the initial population of newly emerg-ing root. The colonized cells on the root were arranged linearly toward the elongation of the root axis. In addition to colonizing the root surface, strain E681 was found inside the roots, where cells colonized the inter-cellular space between certain epidermal and cortical cells. When the cucumber seeds were soaked in bacterial suspension and sown in pot, the bacterial populations attached on both the surface and inside of the root were sustained up to harvesting time. This means that E681 successfully colonized the root of cucumber and sustained its population density up to harvesting time through seed treatment.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2013

Presence of Helicobacter pylori is associated with an increased risk of developing upper gastrointestinal tract diseases. Antibiotic therapy and a combination of two or three drugs have been widely used to eradicate H. pylori infections. Due to antibiotic resistant drugs, new drug resources are needed such as plants which contain antibacterial compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of GutGard$^{TM}$ to inhibit H. pylori growth both in Mongolian gerbils and C57BL/6 mouse models. Male Mongolian gerbils were infected with the bacteria by intragastric inoculation ($2{\times}10^9$ CFU/gerbil) 3 times over 5 days and then orally treated once daily 6 times/week for 8 weeks with 15, 30 and 60 mg/kg GutGard$^{TM}$. After the final administration, biopsy samples of the gastric mucosa were assayed for bacterial identification via urease, catalase and ELISA assays as well as immunohistochemistry (IHC). In the Mongolian gerbil model, IHC and ELISA assays revealed that GutGard$^{TM}$ inhibited H. pylori colonization in gastric mucosa in a dose dependent manner. The anti-H. pylori effects of GutGard$^{TM}$ in H. pylori-infected C57BL/6 mice were also examined. We found that treatment with 25 mg/kg GutGard$^{TM}$ significantly reduced H. pylori colonization in mice gastric mucosa. Our results suggest that GutGard$^{TM}$ may be useful as an agent to prevent H. pylori infection.