• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.449-456
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• 2019

Invasive fungal infections caused by Cyberlindnera fabianii have recently increased. However, biochemical kits such as API 20 C AUX and Vitek-2C have misidentified this species as other Candida spp. such as C. pelliculosa or C. utilis due to no information of Cy. fabianii in yeast database. During our 2016-2017 surveys, eleven isolates of Cy. fabianii were obtained in International St. Mary's Hospital in Korea. Here, we describe its morphological and molecular characteristics and tested its antifungal susceptibility against nine antifungal agents. The sequences of the ITS region and the D1/D2 region of LSU revealed 100% identity with the sequences of Cy. fabianii. In comparison with the results from MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, we found that Cy. fabianii can be distinguished from other species. In antifungal susceptibility test, voriconazole and echinocandins exhibited good antifungal activities against the majority of Cy. fabianii isolates despite the absence of standard criteria.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2002

The cellular responses of TNT-degrading bacterium, Stenotrophomonas sp. OK-5 to explosive 2,4,6-trini-trotoluene (TNT) as an environmental contaminant were examined. Survival of the strain OK-5 with time in the presence of different concentrations of TNT under sublethal conditions was monitored, and viable counts paralleled the production of the stress shock proteins in this bacterium. Total cellular fatty acids analysis showed that strain OK-5 produced or disappeared several different kinds of lipids when grown on TNT media than when grown on TSA. Under scanning electron microscope, the cells treated with 0.5 mM TNT for 12 hrs showed irregular rod shapes with wrinkled surfaces. Analyses of SDS-PAGE and Western blot using anti-DnaK and anti-GroEL revealed that several stress shock proteins including 70 kDa DnaK and 60 kDa GroEL in strain OK-5 were newly synthesized at different TNT concentrations in exponentially growing cultures. 2-D PAGE of soluble protein fractions from the culture of OK-5 exposed to TNT demonstrated that approximately 300 spots were observed on the silver stained gel ranging from pH 3 to pH 10. Among them, 10 spots significantly induced and expressed in response to TNT were selected and analyzed. As the result of internal amino acid sequencing with ESI-Q TOF, two proteins, spot #1 and spot #10 were assigned the DnaK protein XF2340 of Xylella fastidiosa and stress-induced protein of Mesorhizobium loti, respectively.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.7-27
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• 2003

Esophageal Speech uses the esophageal air during phonation. Fluent esophageal speakers frequently intake air in oral communication, but unskilled esophageal speakers are difficult with swallowing lots of air. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference of acoustic characteristics of vowel and consonants production according to the speech proficiency level in esophageal speech. 13 normal male speakers and 13 male esophageal speakers (5 unskilled esophageal speakers, 8 skilled esophageal speakers) with age ranging from 50 to 70 years old. The stimuli were sustained /a/ vowel and 36 meaningless two syllable words. Used vowel is /a/ and consonants were 18 : /k, n, t, m, p, s, c, $C^{h},\;k^{h},\;t^{h},\;p^{h}$, h, I, k', t', p', s', c'/. Fundermental frequency (Fx), Jitter, shimmer, HNR, MPT were measured with by electroglottography using Lx speech studio (Laryngograph Ltd, London, UK). 36 meaningless words produced by esophageal speakers were presented to 3 speech-language pathologists who phonetically transcribed their responses. Fx, Jitter, HNR parameters is significant different between skilled esophageal speakers and unskilled esophageal speakers (P<.05). Considering manner of articulation, ANOVA showed that differences in two esophageal speech groups on speech proficiency were significant; Glide had the highest number of confusion with the other phoneme class, affricates are the most intelligible in the unskilled esophageal speech group, whereas in the skilled esophageal speech group fricatives resulted highest number of confusions, nasals are the most intelligible. In the place of articulation, glottal /h/ is the highest confusion consonant in both groups. Bilabials are the most intelligible in the skilled esophageal speech, velars are the most intelligible in the unskilled esophageal speech. In the structure of syllable, 'CV+V' is more confusion in the skilled esophageal group, unskilled esophageal speech group has similar confusion in both structures. In unskilled esophageal speech, significantly different Fx, Jitter, HNR acoustic parameters of vowel and the highest confusions of Liquid, Nasals consonants could be attributed to unstable, improper contact of neoglottis as vibratory source and insufficiency in the phonatory air supply, and higher motoric demand of remaining articulation due to morphological characteristics of vocal tract after laryngectomy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.1199-1208
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• 2018

Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the articular cartilage and osseous tissue, and can be worsened by aging, overweight status, and post-traumatic arthritis. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of ID-CBT5101 (tyndallized Clostridium butyricum) on bone metabolism and the inflammatory response in a monosodium iodoacetate-induced rat model of osteoarthritis. ID-CBT5101 was administered orally at doses of $10^8$ or $10^{10}CFU/day$ for 2 weeks before direct injection of monosodium iodoacetate ($3mg/50{\mu}l$ of 0.9% saline) into the intra-articular space of the rats' right knees. The rats subsequently received the same doses of oral ID-CBT5101 for another 4 weeks. We evaluated the treatment effects based on serum biomarkers, mRNA expression, morphological and histopathological analyses of the knee joints, and weight-bearing distribution analysis. Compared with those in control rats, the ID-CBT5101 treatments significantly reduced the serum concentration of inflammation and bone metabolism markers (i.e., COX-2, IL-6, $LTB_4$, and COMP), and significantly increased the concentration of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and glycosaminoglycans. In addition, the ID-CBT5101 treatments inhibited the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (i.e., MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-13, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2). Furthermore, the ID-CBT5101 treatments effectively preserved the knee cartilage and synovial membrane, and significantly decreased the amount of fibrous tissue. Moreover, compared with that of the negative control group, the ID-CBT5101 treatments increased the weight-bearing distribution by ${\geq}20%$. The results indicate that ID-CBT5101 prevented and alleviated osteoarthritis symptoms. Thus, ID-CBT5101 may be a novel therapeutic option for the management of osteoarthritis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine the testis toxicities of metal compound, manganese (Mn), which may be generated as mist or fume in the industrial sites. As well as serum prolactin (PRL) concentration was analyzed because Mn accumulation in basal ganglia up-regulates serum PRL and hyperprolactinemia consecutively induces the testis toxicity. Male F344 rats were divided into the 4 groups (2 controls and 2 Mn treated groups, n=10) on the basis of the test condition (inhalation, Mn $1.5mg/m^3$ or not) and treatment period (for 4-weeks and 13-weeks). The treatment time was 6 hr. a day, 5 days a week for the whole body. Basic tests including changes in body weight, feed rate were observed. Blood and testis Mn concentration, and testis toxicity test such as the number and deformity test of sperm were also observed. Serum PRL level was analyzed by ELISA to certify the relationship between the Mn induced increase of the serum PRL level and sperm production. Blood and testis Mn concentrations were significantly and dose-dependently increased. Sperm count was decreased in Mn-treatment groups than control in a treatment time dependent manner. Morphological analysis of cauda epidydimal sperm showed that the frequencies of morphologically abnormal sperms such as bent tail and small head were increased in the both Mn-treatment groups than control. A significant increase in serum PRL levels was found in response to Mn treatment but it was not hyperprolactinemia range. These results suggest that treatment of Mn up-regulates the serum PRL concentration and induces the testis toxicity. The No Aversed Effect Level (NOAEL) of inhaled Mn on the male rat testis may be under the $1.5mg/m^3$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 2004

This study was initially performed to obtain fundamental data on lichen distribution depending on environmental condiLichens distributed on coastal rocks atleast 20 m far away from the coast were also investigated. Analyof morphological characteristics and rDNA ITS clones revealed that lichens containing 9 families and 15 genera were distributed in coastal rocks of V-do, while lichens containing 10 families and 14 genera were in field rocks, demonstrating little difference of diversity between both sites. Foliose lichens such as PhaeophysPhyscia, Pyxine belonging to the family Physciaceae were representatives distributed in coastal rocks of V-do, along with Xanthoparmelia belonging to Parmeliaceae, fruticose lichens such as Ramalina to Ramaliand crustose lichen Lecanora to Lecanoraceae. In contrast, foliose lichen Cladonia belonging to the family Cladoniaceae, fruitcose lichen Stereocaulon to Streocaulaceae, and crustose lichen Porpidia to Porpidwere found only on the surface of field rocks. Crustose lichens containing genera Caloplaca, CanDirinaria, Graphis, Rhizocarpon, and Pertusaria were rarely distributed in coastal rocks, and most of them were also found in field rocks.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.56-59
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• 2017

During growing season of 2011 to 2013, Sclerotinia rot symptoms consistently have been observed on basil in Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do in Korea. The typical symptom formed initially brownish spot on leaf and stem, and then advancing margins, wilting the whole plant and blighting, eventually died. On the surface of diseased lesions was observed cottony, white, dense mat of mycelial growth, and sclerotia ($30-100{\mu}m$ diameter) formed on stem and leaf. Morphological and cultural characteristic on potato dextrose agar, color of colony was white and colorless chocolate, sclerotium of irregular shape of the oval was black and $5-50{\mu}m$ diameter in size. In pathogenicity test, necrosis and wilt of the inoculated stem were observed in all plants and the pathogen was reisolated from stems. On the basis of mycological characteristics, pathogenicity, and internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequence analysis, this fungus was identified as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This is the first report of Sclerotinia rot on basil caused by S. sclerotiorum in Korea.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.133-138
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• 2010

Mountain ginseng is a perennial crop rarely found in the deep mountains of Korea. The medicinal effect of the mountain ginseng is well known as a panacea in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. But scientific studies to elucidate the medicinal effect of the mountain ginseng have never been made on account of lack of sample. Recently an improved method of adventitious root culture system through the use of bioreactor has been developed in Panax ginseng that seems to be a reliable way of commercialization of root derived secondary metabolites. This experiment was conducted to evaluated chemotherapeutic effect against human cervical cancer cells by cisplatin (CDDP) and extract of tissue cultured mountain ginseng (ETCMG). CDDP and ETCMG-induced apoptotic cell death in human cervical cancer cell line, HeLa was confirmed by the analysis of cell growth, morphological changes, DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry showed that ETCMG is an inducer of apoptosis and synergizes with CDDP. These results suggest that ETCMG present evidence of anticancer effect and could have a possibly natural therapeutic potential in cervical cancer patients.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.183-185
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• 2006

Four pigeons which lived together of same cage were referred due to excessive feather loss, severe itching, and erythema on the head, neck and flank regions. They had behavioral problem with feather bloating and plucking. Although they were mildly depressed, appetite was normal. On microscopic examination of feather picking, prominent external parasite infection was found. Mite infection was diagnosed with morphological confirmation. On analysis of complete blood count (CBC), eosinophilia was evident. The patients were treated with ivermectin (apply 200 mcg/kg topically two times per every other week and spray 200 mcg/ml solution every week). Clinical signs of four, pigeons were improved 45 days following first therapy. This case report indicates that mite infection is accompanied with severe feather loss, itching, and generalized erythema on the skin and behavioral problem with feather bloating and plucking. And this infection can be managed with topical and spray application of Ivermectin without injection.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.853-863
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• 2014

This study was carried out to construct a DNA profile database of 100 strawberry cultivars using microsatellite markers. Two hundred seventy four microsatellite primer pairs were screened with a set of 21 strawberry cultivars with different morphological traits. Twenty five primer pairs were selected because they produced reliable and reproducible fingerprints. These primer pairs were used to develop DNA profiles of 100 strawberry cultivars. Three to thirteen alleles were detected by each marker with an average of 7.50. The average polymorphism information content varied from 0.331 to 841 (average 0.706). Cluster analysis showed that the 100 cultivars were divided into 7 major groups reflecting geographic origin and pedigree information. Moreover, most of the cultivars could be discriminated by marker genotypes. These markers will be useful as a tool for the protection of plant breeders' intellectual property rights in addition to providing the means to intervene seed disputes relating to variety authentication.