• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.23-43
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• 2021

In this study, we selected two essential oils, Citrus unshiu and Cinnamomum cassia with superior antioxidant effects from the essential oils of 7 wild plants in South Korea and examined their antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, which causes dermatitis to identify the antimicrobial components in the essential oils. As a result of measuring DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, SC50 value of the Citrus unshiu essential oil was 0.010 mg/mL, while for the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil, SC50 value was 0.09 mg/mL. In addition, when ABTS (2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity was measured, SC50 value of the Citrus unshiu essential oil was 0.09 mg/mL, while for the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil, it was 0.06 mg/mL, exhibiting high antioxidant activity. For the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the essential oil of Cinnamomum cassia was 1.25 mg/mL and that of Citrus unshiu was 5 mg/mL, demonstrating a high antimicrobial activity of the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil. Through the thin layer chromatography (TLC) bioassay, we assessed the antimicrobial activity against C. albicans according to the fraction components of the two essential oils. Also, by using preparative TLC (prep. TLC), we obtained the active fractions, and by performing GC/MS analysis of the components with the same Rf value, we identified the antimicrobial-active components. As a result, the main components having antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were cinnamyl acetate, eucalyptol, linalool, and citral of the Cinnamomum cassia essential oil and linalool from the Citrus unshiu essential oil. Also, based on the analysis of the fractional components that showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in both of the two essential oils, it was found that linalool has antioxidant activity, while cinnamyl acetate, eucalyptol, citral, and geranyl acetate have antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.69-87
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• 2003

Background : LB20304(gemifloxacin) is a new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent with excellent activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. In vitro studies using clinical isolates have shown gemifloxacin to be highly active against penicillin-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae and in contrast to other reference quinolones, gemifloxacin retained good activity against clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae that were resistant to other members of the quinolone class. Therefore, gemifloxacin is thought to be effective in treating acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis(AECB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days for the treatment of AECB in Korean adult population. Methods : This was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group Phase II study to assess the clinical and antibacterial efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin for the treatment of AECB. Treatment Group A (67 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 160mg once daily for seven days and treatment Group B (70 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 320mg once daily for seven days. Results : The demographic profiles of the two treatment groups were similar. The clinical response at follow-up was 84.2% in the gemifloxacin 160-mg group, and 88.7% in the gemifloxacin-320 mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.49). The clinical response at the end of therapy was 96.5% in the 160-mg group, and 96.4% in the 320-mg group. The bacteriological response at the end of therapy and follow-up were 81.8% and 78.9%, respectively, in the 160-mg group, and 86.4% and 84.2%, respectively, in the 320-mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.68 and 0.68, respectively). S. pneumoniae(12 isolates) and H. influenzae(10 isolates) were the most prevalent pathogens. The MICs were lower for gemifloxacin than other quinolones against these key pathogens, and for S. pneumoniae, the MICs for gemifloxacin were considerably lower(${\leq}0.03$ ug/mL) than those for other quinolones, beta-lactams and macrolides. In the period on-therapy plus 30 days post-therapy, a total of 18 patients(26.9%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 22 patients(31.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one adverse event(AE). The most frequently reported AE was abdominal pain(3/67 patients, 4.5%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and increased level of hepatic enzyme(5/70 patients, 7.1%) in the 320mg group. The overall AE profiles for the two treatment groups were similar. Two out of 67 patients(3.0%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 1/70 patients(1.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one serious AE, however, none of which was considered by the investigator to be of suspected or probable relationship to study medication. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis(AECB) in adult Koreans was a very effective and safe treatment both clinically and bacteriologically.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2003

Objective : To determine the clinical and bacteriologic efficacy and safety of Cefdinir in acute pharyngitis and pharyngotonsillitis caused by group A beta hemolytic streptococci in pediatric patients. Methods : Children aged 3 through 12 years who visited the hospitals enrolled in this study with signs and symptoms of pharyngitis or pharyngotonsillitis since May to December 2002, were taken throat culture and given Cefdinir(12 mg/kg/day, in three divided doses) for 7 days. Two hundred thirty five patients were enrolled and 90 patients who showed positive culture results were followed up for the signs and symptoms during the treatment to determine clinical efficacy. Follow-up culture were done at the end of the study and bacteriologic efficacy was determined Results : Ninety out of 235 patients who visited the hospitals with the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis showed positive growth on throat culture. Seventy nine patients were clinically and microbiologically assessable. The bacteriologic eradication rates of S. pyogenes were 100% in all the children treated with Cefdinir. Clinical cure rates were not different between less than 7 days-treated group(75%) and just 7 days-treated group(98.6%)(P=0.077). Two patients reported adverse reaction during Cefdinir treatment. Antimicrobial sensitivity of Cefdinir against S. pyogenes was 100% with range of MIC being less than 0.5 ${\mu}g/mL$. Conclusion : It seems that Cefdinir is one of reliable and well-tolerated drugs for the treatment of group A beta hemolytic streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis in children. It needs to be investigated short term efficacy in terms of improving drug compliance and impact of economic point of view. We can recognized that still high rate of the erythromycin resistant group A streptococci in our community should be monitored every year.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.305-322
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• 2005

Watermarking is a widely employed method tn protecting copyright of a digital image, the owner's unique image is embedded into the original image. Strengthened level of watermark insertion would help enhance its resilience in the process of extraction even from various distortions of transformation on the image size or resolution. However, its level, at the same time, should be moderated enough not to reach human visibility. Finding a balance between these two is crucial in watermarking. For the algorithm for watermarking, the predefined strength of a watermark, computed from the physical difference between the original and embedded images, is applied to all images uniformal. The mean brightness or contrast of the surrounding images, other than the absolute brightness of an object, could affect human sensitivity for object detection. In the present study, we examined whether the detectability for watermark noise might be attired by image statistics: mean brightness and contrast of the image. As the first step to examine their effect, we made rune fundamental images with varied brightness and control of the original image. For each fundamental image, detectability for watermark noise was measured. The results showed that the strength ot watermark node for detection increased as tile brightness and contrast of the fundamental image were increased. We have fitted the data to a regression line which can be used to estimate the strength of watermark of a given image with a certain brightness and contrast. Although we need to take other required factors into consideration in directly applying this formula to actual watermarking algorithm, an adaptive watermarking algorithm could be built on this formula with image statistics, such as brightness and contrast.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.382-390
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• 2020

This study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) against several foodborne pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The antimicrobial effect was determined by agar diffusion method using red ginseng extract, crude saponin and non-water-soluble fractions. Red ginseng extract showed antimicrobial effect against S. aureus, but not C. albicans or A. niger. The extract showed anti-bacterial activity at concentration above 30% against S. aureus, which cause both food poisoning and atophic dermatitis. Crude saponin showed antibacterial activity above 7.5% against the bacterium. However, the ginsenosides purified from crude saponin showed no antimicrobial activities at 100-200 ㎍/mL. To investigate the mode of growth inhibition, red ginseng extract and crude saponin were added to 0.85% NaCl solution containing S. aureus and then incubated at 35℃ for 12 h. The results showed that viable cells were rapidly reduced in above 10% concentration of red ginseng extract and above 2% of crude saponin, respectively. However, the crude saponin and red ginseng extract did not inhibit the bacterial cells completely at those same concentrations. On the other hand, whereas all non-water-soluble fractions showed inhibition zones above 10 mm against S. aureus, they showed no inhibition effects against E. coli, C. albicans or A. niger. The methanol fraction-1 (MF-1) showed the highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus, and the MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) was 0.625 mg/mL. These results suggest that red ginseng extract, crude saponin and non-water-soluble fractions show selective antibacterial activity against S. aureus, and non-water-soluble fractions might be used as natural antibacterial agents.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2010

A total of 25 isolates of Fusarium fujikuroi were obtained from diseased rice plants in Korea from 2006 to 2007 to assess their resistance against fungicides prochloraz and benomyl + thiram. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of F. fujikuroi isolates were examined by agar dilution method. Most of the isolates were sensitive to the fungicides. Out of 25 isolates, six were resistant to prochloraz and three to benomyl + thiram. In addition, the isolates CF245, CF249 and CF337 showed resistant to both fungicides. The progenies ($F_1$ isolates) obtained through two different crosses between sensitive parental isolates(CF202, CF232 and CF179) and resistant parental isolate (CF337) were evaluated for their mycelial growth at different temperatures and resistance against fungicides. Mycelial growth rate of $F_1$ isolates originated from CF202 $\times$ CF232 was similar to the parental isolates. However mycelial growth rate of $F_1$ isolates originated from CF179 $\times$ CF337 was faster than their parent isolates. In case of prochloraz, distribution ratio of sensitivity(S) to resistance(R) against to the fungicide of $F_1$ isolates originated from CF202 $\times$ CF232 and CF179 $\times$ CF337 was 86 : 14 and 78 : 22, respectively. In case of benomyl+thiram, all the $F_1$ isolates originated from CF202 $\times$ CF232 were sensitive to the fungicide, however ratio of sensitivity(S) to resistance(R) against to the fungicide of $F_1$ isolates originated from CF179 $\times$ CF337 was 35 : 65.