• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.691-698
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• 2019

The seasonal abundance of hard ticks that transmit severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus was monitored with a collection trap method every April to November during 2015-2018 and with a flagging method every July and August during 2015-2018 in Ganghwa-do (island) of Incheon Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea. This monitoring was performed in a copse, a short grass field, coniferous forest and broad-leaved forest. A total of 17,457 ticks (8,277 larvae, 4,137 nymphs, 3,389 females, and 1,654 males) of the ixodid ticks comprising 3 species (Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, and Ixodes nipponensis) were collected with collection traps. Of the identified ticks, H. longicornis was the most frequently collected ticks (except larval ticks) (94.26%, 8,653/9,180 ticks (nymphs and adults)), followed by H. flava (5.71%, 524/9,180) and Ix. nipponensis (less than 0.04%, 3/9,180). The ticks collected with collecting traps were pooled and assayed for the presence of SFTS virus with negative results. In addition, for monitoring the prevalence of hard ticks, a total of 7,461 ticks (5,529 larvae, 1,272 nymphs, 469 females, and 191 males) of the ixodid ticks comprising 3 species (H. longicornis, H. flava, and Ix. nipponensis) were collected with flagging method. H. longicornis was the highest collected ticks (except larval ticks) (99.53%, 1,908/1,917 ticks (nymphs and adults)), followed by H. flava (1.15%, 22/1,917).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2008

Salmonella enterica serotype gallinarum biovar Gallinarum or Pullorum and Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis are the most important diseases in poultry industry. Transitional diagnosis methods of these diseases such as direct isolation and identification by a biochemical test are time consuming with low specificity. In this study, we have focused on the suitable procedure for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of diseases derived from the three Salmonella strains. We initially confirmed Salmonella species by PCR using a specific ITSF/ITSR primer pair instead of biochemical test, and then the PCR-amplified phase 1 flagellin (fliC) using a specific fliCF/fliCR primer pair was digested with a restriction endonuclease, Bpm I and/or Bfa I, to discriminate among S. Pullorum, S. Gallinarum, and S. Enteritidis. We found that these methods could be applied to field isolates of the three Salmonella strains to detect and to discriminate rapidly for convenient diagnosis.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.413-429
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• 2024

Biomarkers are playing an increasingly important role in antimicrobial stewardship. Their applications have included use in algorithms that evaluate suspected bacterial infections or provide guidance on when to start or stop antibiotic therapy, or when therapy should be repeated over a short period (6-12 h). Diseases in which biomarkers are used as complementary tools to determine the initiation of antibiotics include sepsis, lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), COVID-19, acute heart failure, infectious endocarditis, acute coronary syndrome, and acute pancreatitis. In addition, cut-off values of biomarkers have been used to inform the decision to discontinue antibiotics for diseases such as sepsis, LRTI, and febrile neutropenia. The biomarkers used in antimicrobial stewardship include procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), presepsin, and interleukin (IL)-1β/IL-8. The cut-off values vary depending on the disease and study, with a range of 0.25-1.0 ng/mL for PCT and 8-50 mg/L for CRP. Biomarkers can complement clinical diagnosis, but further studies of microbiological biomarkers are needed to ensure appropriate antibiotic selection.

• Gut and Liver
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.641-647
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• 2018

Background/Aims: Helicobacter pylori eradication rates are decreasing because of increases in clarithromycin resistance. Thus, finding an easy and accurate method of detecting clarithromycin resistance is important. Methods: We evaluated 70 H. pylori isolates from Korean patients. Dual-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes were designed to detect resistance associated with point mutations in 23S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene domain V (A2142G, A2143G, and T2182C). Data were analyzed by probe-based fluorescence melting curve analysis based on probe-target dissociation temperatures and compared with Sanger sequencing. Results: Among 70 H. pylori isolates, 0, 16, and 58 isolates contained A2142G, A2143G, and T2182C mutations, respectively. PNA probe-based analysis exhibited 100.0% positive predictive values for A2142G and A2143G and a 98.3% positive predictive value for T2182C. PNA probe-based analysis results correlated with 98.6% of Sanger sequencing results (${\kappa}$-value=0.990; standard error, 0.010). Conclusions: H. pylori clarithromycin resistance can be easily and accurately assessed by dual-labeled PNA probe-based melting curve analysis if probes are used based on the appropriate resistance-related mutations. This method is fast, simple, accurate, and adaptable for clinical samples. It may help clinicians choose a precise eradication regimen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.123-141
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• 2021

PURPOSE: Focusing on the factors that influence the infectious disease emergency response policy (approached by dividing the factors into health policy management and economic policies), both SARS and MERS cases were based on the legal system, manpower, and budget, but there has not been enough learning from the epidemic. This study focused on infectious disease emergency governance, which various studies have neglected despite its social and academic importance. METHODS: The research is based on an analysis of SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 and compares global policies. In this study, infectious disease emergency governance was divided into health policy management and economic factors. This study focused on planning and leadership before and after the outbreak of infectious diseases and how cooperation was achieved to monitor and respond to infectious diseases successfully. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: The limit of this study was that COVID-19 is a currently ongoing infectious disease with high uncertainty. Because it is an ongoing problem, only some data and statistics are reflected, and many limitations prevent a proper comparison under the same criteria as other infectious diseases. In addition, because continuous changes are expected, there is also room for infectious diseases to develop in a completely different pattern from the current situation, and continuous research must be accompanied in the future.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.124-136
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• 2005

Two popular ethnomedicines of the Onge, a Negrito tribe of Andaman Islands, were evaluated for analgesic and antiinflammatory activity. The methanol extract as well as the different fractions of methanol extract of both Alstonia macrophylla and Mallotus peltatus leaves were studied using Swiss albino mice and Wistar albino rats. Acetic acid induced writhing, Tail flick and Tail immersion; Carrageenin- and Dextran-induced paw oedema tests were used. Dose-dependent analgesic and antiinflammatory activity were demonstrated for both methanol leaf extracts as well as fractions. Results were highly comparable with that of the standard drug pethidine.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.333-346
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• 2002

We previously reported that the equine herpesvirus type 1(EHV-1) immediate-early protein(IE protein) physically interacts with the general transcription factor human TFIIB(Jang et al, J Virol 75：10219-10230, 2001). The interaction between the IE protein and TFIIB is necessary for the IE protein to efficiently transactivate the early TK and late IR5 EHV-1 promoters. A panel of deletion and truncation mutants of the TFIIB gene was constructed and employed in protein-binding assays to map the IE protein-binding domain within TFIIB. Evidence is presented that the first direct repeat of TFIIB interacts specifically with the EHV-1 IE protein.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.431-458
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• 2006

As we approach the completion of the first 25 years of the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) epidemic, there have been dramatic improvements in the care of patients with HIV infection. These have prolonged life and decreased morbidity. There are twenty currently available antiretrovirals approved in the United States for the treatment of this infection. The medications, including their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and dosing are reviewed. In addition, the current approach to the use of these medicines is discussed. We have included a section addressing common comorbid conditions including hepatitis B and C along with tuberculosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.157-160
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• 2019

The production of rmtB-encoded 16S rRNA methylases has emerged as a novel mechanism promoting high-level resistance toward aminoglycosides in Gram-negative bacteria. Between 2015 and 2017, 636 distinct commensal Escherichia (E.) coli isolates were collected from different farms in South Korea to determine the prevalence and molecular characteristics of rmtB. The positive rates of rmtB between all the isolates and amikacin-resistant isolates were 1.1 and 100%, respectively. High-level aminoglycoside resistance could be transferred by conjugation from rmtB-positive donors to higher amikacin-resistance efficacies. This is the first report of 16S rRNA methylase-encoding genes in E. coli isolated from food-producing animals in Korea.

• Infection and chemotherapy
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.287-300
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• 2018

Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in old adults. The incidence and etiologic distribution of community-acquired pneumonia is variable both geographically and temporally, and epidemiology might evolve with the change of population characteristics and vaccine uptake rates. With the increasing prevalence of chronic medical conditions, a wide spectrum of healthcare-associated pneumonia could also affect the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia. Here, we provide an overview of the epidemiological changes associated with community-acquired pneumonia over the decades since pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction.