• Title/Summary/Keyword: Humans and animals

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Sclareol Protects Staphylococcus aureus-Induced Lung Cell Injury via Inhibiting Alpha-Hemolysin Expression

  • Ouyang, Ping;Sun, Mao;He, Xuewen;Wang, Kaiyu;Yin, Zhongqiong;Fu, Hualin;Li, Yinglun;Geng, Yi;Shu, Gang;He, Changliang;Liang, Xiaoxia;Lai, Weiming;Li, Lixia;Zou, Yunfeng;Song, Xu;Yin, Lizi
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.19-25
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    • 2017
  • Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common gram-positive bacterium that causes serious infections in humans and animals. With the continuous emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, antibiotics have limited efficacy in treating MRSA infections. Accordingly, novel agents that act on new targets are desperately needed to combat these infections. S. aureus alpha-hemolysin plays an indispensable role in its pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrate that sclareol, a fragrant chemical compound found in clary sage, can prominently decrease alpha-hemolysin secretion in S. aureus strain USA300 at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Hemolysis assays, western-blotting, and RT-PCR were used to detect the production of alpha-hemolysin in the culture supernatant. When USA300 was co-cultured with A549 epithelial cells, sclareol could protect the A549 cells at a final concentration of $8{\mu}g/ml$. The protective capability of sclareol against the USA300-mediated injury of A549 cells was further shown by cytotoxicity assays and live/dead analysis. In conclusion, sclareol was shown to inhibit the production of S. aureus alpha-hemolysin. Sclareol has potential for development as a new agent to treat S. aureus infections.

A Distribution of Keratinophilic Fungi Isolated from the Soil of Haeundae Beach in Korea (부산 해운대 백사장에서 분리한 각질친화성 피부사상균의 분포)

  • Kim, Sojin;Kim, Su Jung
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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    • v.48 no.4
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    • pp.343-347
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    • 2016
  • Keratinophilic fungus (KPF), a type of dermatophytes, is usually present as normal flora on the skin of humans and animals but can produce ring worm-like dermatophytosis by invading the skin in infected individuals. They are distributed worldwide, but their occurrences vary distinctively in accordance with the geographical location and environmental change. Because these fungi grow by degrading keratin, they are abundantly found on the skin, hair, and nails, which are rich in keratin. To investigate the presence of keratinophilic fungi in the soil, we selected a popular beach in South Korea, Haeundae Beach, where numerous people gather each year during the summer holidays. Hundred soil samples were analyzed using the hair-baiting technique, among which, a total of 23 colonies of KPF were identified from 21 soil samples. The identified KPF were Microsporum gypseum (43%), Chrysosporium spp. (35%), Trichophyton ajelloi (13%), and Microsporum cookie (9%). This study confirmed that pathogenic fungi can be found in places crowded by many people. Further research and continuous data collection are needed to confirm the distribution of pathogenic KPF.

Protective effect of injinhotang and its components on acetaminophen-induced hepatoxicity in rats (인진호탕(茵陳蒿湯)의 조합에 따른 간 보호 효과)

  • Choi, Jae-Woo;Bae, Chang-Wook;Park, So-Young;Yun, Hyun-Joung;Park, Sun-Dong
    • Herbal Formula Science
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.9-33
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    • 2005
  • Acetaminophen, which causes acute liver min in humans and animals, has made useful inducer of hepatoxicity for studying hepatopreventive drugs. Injinhotang is known as one of the hepatopreventive drugs. However, its mechanism of recovery of hepatoxicity treated with acetaminophen is poorly understood. this study was performed to observe the antioxidative effect of injinhotang extract and its several combination groups. The results were obtained as follows:1. In the study on free radical scavenging effect in vitro(the suppressing effect on peroxidation of linoleic acid on concentration, the scavenging effect of DPPH radical, inhibitory effect of superoxide in xanthine-xanthine oxidase system and the inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation reaction by hydroxy radical in H2O2-Fe2+system, injinhotang have more effect than its components groups relatively. 2. In the study on antioxidants system in vivo(the level of serum LPO, the level of hepatic LPO, catalase, GSH, GST), only injnhotang has a significant effect. 3. In the study on hepatotoxicity(GOT, GPT, $\gamma$-GTP, ALP, LDH, b ilirubin), only injinhotang has a significant effect. These results suggest that injinhotang has the protective effect on acetaminophen-induced hepatoxicity. The mechanisms of these are supposed to be involved in antioxidant and three drugs' cooperative synergy effect.

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A Study of Applicability of Monitoring System through Polar Environment around the King Sejong Station, Antarctica (극지환경을 고려한 남극 세종과학기지 계측시스템 적용성에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Keunbo;Kim, Young Seok
    • Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.43-53
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    • 2013
  • Environmental monitoring analysis were analyzed for the period from 1988 to 2007 near King Sejong Station. Extreme environment structure behaviors(Marine Biology Lab.) were evaluated using monitoring sensors developed commercial sensors. Also when installing the sensors ambient environment of the King Sejong Station, to analyze the measured data and the comparative behavior of the structure were analyzed. As a environmental monitoring analysis result at King Sejong Station temperature, sensors were installed to withstand about $-25.6^{\circ}C$ or less and 49.5m/s. They were needed that the height of 225.0cm or more to be installed during the installation. For several monitoring sensors used in Antarctic, temperature, snow and strong winds were very sensitive to the atmospheric environment. Quite often a camouflage(animals and humans) would make it necessary to provide housing for monitoring sensors. Therefore, protection system developed for these sensors were to protect the sensors and data logger. Protection system the newly developed, is economical, easy to install even in harsh environments. Based on the measurement result of the one year, consider electrode applicability of the protection system, it was confirmed that the behavior of the structure is also predictable.

Parabiosis and Aging Researches (개체병렬결합 그리고 노화 연구)

  • Chung, Kyung Tae
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.27 no.12
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    • pp.1515-1522
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    • 2017
  • Most people have a desire to live longer. According to ancient Chinese and Korean mythology, Dongfang Shuo (Dongbang Sahk) lived for 18,000 years. According to a WHO report, the average longevity of humans has extended from 50-odd years in the 1960s to 75-85 years in 2016. Parabiosis, the joining to circulatory systems of two animals, was described as early as the 1860s. It provides a powerful experimental model to investigate the effects of one animal on its partner animal in vivo. Research on reverse aging is an immensely popular in parabiosis studies. In this review, the origin of the parabiosis model and important historical findings based on parabiosis models are presented. Surprising and debated discoveries in aging research are also introduced. Using heterochronic parabiosis of connecting circulatory systems of a young mouse and old mouse, various groups claim to have identified a reverse aging factor, growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), which was significantly reduced in blood of old mice. Although the potential existence of any one factor or factors that could reverse aging remains to be confirmed, studies have shown that the parabiosis model is powerful enough to detect reverse aging factors.

Critical Review on Carcinogenicity of Metalworking Fluids (절삭유(Metalworking Fluids)의 발암성에 대한 고찰)

  • 박동욱;윤충식;이송권
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.50-62
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    • 2003
  • Exposure to metalworking fluids (MWFs) has significantly been associated with cancer developed in multi-organs, respiratory diseases and skin diseases. Several carcinogens to humans or animals are contained in MWFs. They have been reported to be mineral oils, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formaldehyde and N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA). The great hazards of MWF have forced the advanced country including United States to regulate carcinogens contained in MWF. In 2001, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIHs) regarded MWF mist as suspected carcinogen to human (A2) and added it to “Notice of Intended Change (NIC)” list of 2001. In spite of the fact that much MWF has widely been used in many industries using machines, Korea has no legal actions for management of MWF. What is worse, even toxicity such as Carcinogenicity has not been reported. KS (Korean Standards) lists 7 advices of MWF but it does net state the hazards to health. It is very hard to control or minimize worker's exposure to MWF containing many carcinogens. Prier to the introduction of MWF to workplace, it is the most effective measure to regulate carcinogens below a certain level. Regulation on the content of PAH seems to be necessary because less amount of PAH in mineral oils improves the quality of MWF. Also, addition of nitrosating groups to MWF should be prohibited to minimize worker's exposure to NDELA. Employers and manufacturers should indicate the Carcinogenicity of all carcinogens in MWFs in Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in order fer workers to recognize Carcinogenicity. Legal actions have to be taken to protect workers from health hazards due to exposure to MWF by further investigation on MWF.

Motion Capture System for Digital Entertainment (디지털 엔터테인먼트에서의 모션 획득 시스템)

  • Lee, Man-Woo;Kim, Soon-Gohn
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.7 no.5
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    • pp.85-93
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    • 2007
  • The motion capture system has shown its great potential as a new image expression means for handling such challenging tasks as realistic animation of humans or animals in motion, which cannot be handled by the existing key frame method satisfactorily, and also projects involving a large scale or a burdensome economic expenses. Its applications also has been intensified and widened in the entertainment arena including motion pictures, TV, advertisements, documentaries, music videos, etc. centering around games. Despite of these merits, though, a number of issues have been surfaced in the digital image expression utilizing the motion capture system, such as a burdensome amount of preparatory work, the needs for attachment of markers and for remedial corrections of motion data, and the lack of trained manpower. We would like to present in this paper a new direction for making the digital image production more efficient, based on the extensive analysis of prior image production projects that used the motion capture system.

Nocardia Brain Abscess Mimicking a Metastatic Brain Tumor: A Severe CNS Infection Requiring Aggressive Management (전이성 뇌암으로 오인된 노카디아 뇌농양: 적극적 치료를 요하는 심각한 중추신경계 감염병)

  • Lee, Aleum;Kim, Hee Kyung
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.50-54
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    • 2013
  • Nocardiosis is an uncommon Gram-positive bacterial infection caused by aerobic actinomycetes in the genus Nocardia. Nocardia spp. have the ability to cause localized or systemic suppurative disease in humans and animals. Nocardiosis is typically regarded as an opportunistic infection, but approximately one-third of infected patients are immunocompetent. We report a rare case of pulmonary nocardiosis and a brain abscess caused by Nocardia asteroides in an elderly woman with a history of Crohn's disease. Radiographic imaging revealed a contrast-enhancing lesion with perilesional parenchymal edema that was preoperatively thought to be a neoplasm. The patient experienced aggressive disease progression simulating a metastatic brain tumor. Early diagnosis of norcadiosis, the absence of underlying disease, and the administration of appropriate antibiotics has a positive impact on prognosis. Familiarity with the magnetic resonance and computed tomography findings associated with CNS nocardiosis, such as those presented here, is essential for making an early diagnosis.

Clinical Study of Tetracycline HCl Conditioning in the Treatment of Gingival Recession. A Comparative Study (치근 피개 술식시 치근에 도포된 테트라사이클린의 효과에 관한 임상적 연구)

  • Kim, Jong-Ae;Chung, Chin-Hyung;Lim, Sung-Bin
    • Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.133-146
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    • 2000
  • Histological studies indicate a tetracycline HCl similar to citric acid to induce connetive tissue repair in animals. When tetracycline HCl was used as a root conditioning agent in humans, there was a trend toward more connective tissue attachment than in root planing alone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical effect of tetracycline HCl in the treatment of gingival recession. 44 teeth in 12 patients with bilaterally gingival recession & Miller classification I, II gingival recession were selected and 22 teeth were treated with 125mg/ml tetracycline HCl , the others was not treated with tetracycline HCl. Gingival recession, pocket depth, clinical attachment level, width of keratinized gingiva were observed at baseline, postoperative 4, 12, 20weeks. Both groups were statistically analyzed by Wilcoxon signed Ranks Test & Wilcoxon's rank sum test(Mann-whitney test) using SPSS program.(5% significance level) The results were as follows: 1........The change of gingival recession, clinical attachment level, keratinized gingiva in both groups were increased significantly at 4, 12, 20 weeks. 2.......The pocket depth exhibited no marked changes throughout the entire investigation in both groups. 3........The change of gingival recession in tetracycline group was increased significantly than control group at 4, 12, 20 weeks and the percentage of root coverage was 93% in tetracycline group and 83% in control group. 4........The change of clinical attachment level, pocket depth, keratinized tissue from baseline to 4, 12, 20 weeks was not differ significanltly in both group.

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Duodenal Duplication Cyst in a Korean Native Cattle (한우 송아지에서 발생한 십이지장의 중복낭종)

  • Kim, Jong-Min;Han, Tae-Sung;Park, Jin-Uk;Kang, Seong-Soo;Kim, Gon-Hyung;Choi, Seok-Hwa
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.546-548
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    • 2011
  • A congenital duplication cyst, which presents with symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction, is an unusual disorder in humans and a rare condition in animals. A 5-day-old male Korean native cattle was presented with anorexia and no defecation. On exploratory laparotomy, an oval shaped mass ($16{\times}7$ cm) was identified on the antimesenteric border of the proximal duodenum, with no communication between the intestinal lumen and the mass itself. Surgical correction for gastrointestinal tract patency was performed. The calf recovered well and was clinically normal three months after surgery. This case is the first report of a duodenal duplication cyst in a Korean native cattle.