• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.474-479
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• 1999

Using a hybridoma technique, spleen cells of Balb/c mice immunized with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were fused with NS-1 mouse myeloma cells. Two hybrid cell lines, clones KS-8 and KS-19, secreting monoclonal antibodies to hCG, were isolated. KS-8 and KS-19 belong to the immunoglobulin $G_1$ subclass. With the aid of a double-antibody radioimmunoassay, it was established that the KS-8 monoclonal antibody recognizes an immunodeterminant of the $\beta$-subunit of hCG, whereas the KS-19 monoclonal antibody recognizes an epitope present on the $\alpha$-subunit of hCG. The KS-8 monoclonal antibody specifically reacts with human chorionic gonadotropin and shows cross-reactivity of less than 0.3% to other related human glycoprotein hormones. On the other hand, using a hemagglutination test based on antibody-induced agglutination of sheep red blood cells coated with hCG, It was shown that only the KS-19 monoclonal antibody was capable of inducing a positive reaction, although both monoclonal antibodies had similar binding capacity to the coated cells. The results from the dual screening procedures demonstrate that KS-8 and KS-19 monoclonal antibodies show high sensitivity in two different assays, and are hence useful for the qualitative and quantitative determination of hCG by both radioimmunoassay and hemagglutination inhibition tests.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.377-382
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• 1998

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), scrub typhus, murine typhus and leptospirosis have been the principal acute febrile diseases in Korea. To evaluate the seroepidemiologic patterns of acute febrile illness, sera collected from 2,423 patients in 1996 were examined for antibodies against Hantaan virus, Orientia tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi, and Borrelia burgdorferi by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFA) and macroscopic agglutination test for Leptospira interogans. Seropositive cases against Otsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi, Leptospira interogans and Hantaan virus were 192 (7.9%), 193 (8.0%), 12 (0.5%) and 324 (13.4%), respectively. Male was more affected in HFRS and murine typhus contrasting to scrub typhus and leptospirosis in female. Most positive cases occurred during October and November for scrub typhus, and during November and December for HFRS. These results showed similar patterns with previous epidemical data for recent couple of years, and possibly implied no significant changes occurred in ecologic situations for acute febrile diseases in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 1989

In order to study the effects of $Ca^{++}$ and dbcAMP on sperm motility, cauda epididyal spermatozoa of mouse were incubated in the media containing the various concentrations of $Ca^{++}$ and dbcAMP, and Its motility were observed and analyzed. The rate(%) of the sperm with forward motility which may be fertile, reached at the equilibrium state in 30-60 min. after the beginning of incubation. $Ca^{++}$ requirement for the maintenance of sperm motility obviously appeared in 3hrs. after the beginning of incubation. In the medium containing 0.01mM $Ca^{++}$, the rate of sperm forward motility was highest(30.6-40.6%), whereas in 10mM $Ca^{++}$ medium, the rate was rather reduced because of a severe agglutination phenomenon. On the other hand, 1mM dbcAMP in the medium was significantly effective for the maintenance of sperm forward motility.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.48-50
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• 2014

Brucellosis is caused by gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, facultative, intracellular coccobacilli belonging to the genus Brucella. A 50-year-old man working as an employee was admitted to neurosurgery clinic with severe low back, radicular right leg pain and hypoesthesia in right L4-5 dermatomes for 2 months. Brucella tube agglutination (Wright) test was positive in serum sample of the patient with a titer of 1/640. Brucella melitensis was isolated from blood culture. X-ray and MRI of the lomber spine showed massive collapse of L4 vertebral body. Neural tissue was decompressed and then posterior L3-5 short segment transpedicular screw fixation and stabilization was performed. Brucella melitensis was isolated from microbiologic culture of pathologic specimen. Antibiotic therapy was given as doxycycline 200 mg/day and rifampicin 600 mg/day for 6 months. Brucellosis is a systemic zoonotic infection and still an important public health problem in many geographical parts of the world. Vertebral body collapse caused by brucellosis occurs very rarely but represents a neurosurgical emergency because of its potential for causing rapidly progressive spinal cord compression and permanent paralysis. Neurosurgeons, emergency department personnel as well as infectious disease specialists should always keep a high index of suspicion and include brucellosis in the differential diagnosis of vertebral body collapse.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 1988

A study was carried out to find distribution of Legionella spp. in hot water supplying systems of buildings in Seoul. Water samples were taken from the hot water taps in three research institute buildings during the period from the 2nd to 27th February, 1987. And all of the three buildings were supplied with hot water from the same central hot water tank. GVPC BCYEa and blood agar were used for the isolation of Legionella pneurnophila and slide agglutination test (SAT) was performed to identify their strain types. Main findings were as follows 1. 44 samples taken from hot tap-water revealed 20% of positive culture and 44 samples taken from hot water spouts revealed 11% of positive culture. 2. The 78% of positive samples taken from hot water was obtained from 25.1$\circ$C~45.0$\circ$C temperature range. 3. Only, Legionella pneumophila serogroup 3 was identified and most of them has been than 2$\mu$m in length. 4. The densities of the Legionella pneurnophila isolated from hot water samples were within the range of $1.0\times 10^2$ to $1.1\times 10^3$ CFU/l and their densities isolated from hot water spouts were either 1 CFU/plate or 2 CFU/plate.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 1995

A new lectin, named TRA, was purified from Trichosanthes kirilowii root by acid-treated Sepharose 6B, Mono-Q, and TSK-gel 3000SW column sequential chromatography. The lectin appeared homogeneous by native gel electrophoresis at pH 4.3 and gave two protein bands of Mr=31 and 28 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the polypeptides of TRA have not been reported in amino acid sequences of the lectins. TRA lectin formed a precipitate with asialofetuin, neuraminidase-treated fetuin. A sugar inhibition assay indicated that N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, among the monosaccharides tested, was the most potent inhibitor of TRA-induced hemagglutination. Asialofetuin showed a 260-times stronger inhibitory activity than N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. TRA lectin also showed agglutination with normal leukocytes and lymphoma cells, but not with premature hemopoietic cells. These results suggest that TRA is a novel plant lectin.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2015

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is responsible for approximately 20% to 30% of community-acquired pneumonia, and is well known for its diverse extrapulmonary manifestations. However, acute necrotizing pancreatits is an extremely rare extrapulmonary manifestation of M. pneumoniae infection. A 6-year-old girl was admitted due to abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and confused mentality. Acute necrotizing pancreatitis was diagnosed according to symptoms, laboratory test results, and abdominal computed tomography scans. M. pneumoniae infection was diagnosed by a 4-fold increase in antibodies to M. pneumoniae between acute and convalescent sera by particle agglutination antibody assay. No other etiologic factors or pathogens were detected. Despite the occurrence of a large infected pseudocyst during the course, the patient was able to discharge without morbidity by early aggressive supportive care. This is the first case in Korea of a child with acute necrotizing pancreatitis associated with M. pneumoniae infection.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.186-193
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• 2020

Objective: The effectiveness of Staphylococcus protein A (SPA) in improving the penetration ability of sperm and reducing antisperm antibody (ASA) titers in immunologically infertile males was evaluated. Methods: Seminal fluid samples were obtained from 15 infertile men, and ASA titers were assessed with the latex agglutination test. Identification of immunoglobulin (Ig) classes and characterization of the antigens involved in the immune response were performed using indirect immunofluorescence. Local ASAs typically present as a mixture of IgG and IgA classes. The capillary tube penetration method was used to assess the capability of spermatozoa to penetrate the cervical mucus (CM). Results: ASAs associated with the neck region of sperm showed a significantly lower migration distance in the CM of infertile females than ASAs associated with the head or tail segments. ASA-positive seminal fluid exhibited significant increases in the mean migration distance (2.6 ± 1.4 cm vs. 1.54 ± 1.1 cm, respectively; p< 0.001) and sperm concentration (174 ± 121.0 × 10³/mL vs. 101 ± 93.7 × 10³/mL, respectively; p= 0.033) after treatment with SPA compared to pre-treated samples. A significant reduction (p< 0.01) in the recorded ASA titer was detected. Conclusion: These results indicate that SPA can be used as a sorting regimen for insemination programs. However, further studies are warranted to assess its influence on pregnancy rate.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.759-763
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• 2015

The breeding of domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for human consumption has a long tradition in China. Infections that can affect the production of meat or even be transmitted from animals to humans are important to monitor, especially for public health reasons as well as for their impact on animal health. Thus, a total of 1,132 domestic rabbit sera from 4 regions in China were collected for serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi and for Toxoplasma gondii by ELISA and modified agglutination test (MAT), respectively. Antibodies to E. cuniculi were detected in 248/1,132 (21.9%) sera tested while antibodies against T. gondii revealed a seroprevalence of 51/1,132 (4.5%). We believe that the present results are of epidemiological implications and public health importance due to the acknowledged susceptibility of humans to E. cuniculi and T. gondii infections. Therefore, routine screening tests of domestic rabbits are proposed considering the zoonotic potential of these parasites.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.302-307
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• 1998

Hemolytic anemia due to cold agglutinin disease is a known complication of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection but is rarely observed, particularly in children. A case of Mycoplasma pneumonia complicated with hemolytic anemia is presented. A 7 year-old girl was adimitted because of fever, cough, sputum and pale appearance. Chest X-ray showed pneumonic consolidation of Rt. upper lobe, lingular division. Laboratory studies disclosed the following values : Hb 5.3g/dL, Hct 11.1%, reticulocyte 2.9%, indirect Coombs test negative, direct Coombs test(monovalent) Anti-C3d positive, Anti-IgG negative, Anti-IgM negative, cold agglutinin titer 1 : 256, mycoplasma antibody titer 1 : 640, total bilirubin 1.0mg/dL. Initial PBS before wanning showed agglutination of red blood cells. The diagnosis of cold agglutinin hemolytic anemia complicating mycoplasma pneumonia was made. And treatment with roxithromycin, prednisolone and avoiding cold exposure was initiated, and complete recovery ensued. We report a case of cold agglutinin hemolytic anemia complicating mycoplasma pneumonia in children.