• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.357-364
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• 1995

The protozoan parasite, Entcmoeba histoIWticc, is one of major causative agents of intestinal disease all over the world. In acute experimental infection, the early host response to 5. histoIHtica is characterized by an infiltration of neutrophils. However, the chemotactic signal for this response is not well known. Based on the (jading that human epithelial cells produce the potent neutrophil chemoattractant and activator, interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-8 gene expression was examined thoroughly in human colon epithelial cells exposed to 5. histolvtica trophozoites. Cellular RNAs were extracted from HT-29 or Caco-2 human colon epithelial cells exposed to 5. histoLvtica trophozoites for 30 minutes, 1 and 3 hours. IL-8 mRNA transcripts were measured by reverse transcriptional polprnerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using synthetic standard RNA. The number of IL-8 mRNA molecules increased from 30 minutes to 3 hours of exposure period, reaching 3.1 H 107 molecules/ug of total RNA. Expression pattern of IL-8 mRNA transcripts was parallel to the amounts of IL-8 protein measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . Lysates of 5. histoIVtica also induced expression of mRNA for IL-8 in colon epithelial cells. These results sugf:esc that acute inflammatory reaction by 5. histoIVticc may be initially triggered by proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 secreted from epithelial cells of the colon.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2011

Acute toxicity test and behavioral change analysis of seawater acclimated Japanese medaka were conducted to identify the brine effects on fish by seawater desalination. 7 day acute toxicity test of brine revealed linear concentration-response relationship from 40.0~80.0 psu treatment groups. There was no significant brine effect for 30-40 psu groups and mass mortality was observed from >50 psu exposure (7-day $LC_{50}$=51.4 psu). Images from the real time camera system were analyzed to observe the changes in behavioral patterns of medaka exposed to various salinity. 40.0 and 50.0 psu exposed groups were stabilized in behavioral patterns after 3.1 and 4.6 hours, respectively and 60.0 psu group showed sharp increase in activity during first 12 hours and 50% mortality thereafter. Similar patterns were observed to 70 and 80 psu groups and both experimental groups showed 100% mortality within 12 hours. Acute toxicity test and behavioral patterns showed very similar toxicity results which revealed the increases in mortality and behavioral activities from 50.0 psu. This critical salinity for fish impacts must be implemented to brine discharge strategy by seawater desalination into the coastal area. Also, we recommend that real time camera monitoring system must be a useful tool for early warning of fish toxicity for other applications. This research was funded by Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.309-316
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• 2021

Sepsis is a physiological response to a source of infection that triggers mechanisms that compromise organ function, leading to death if not treated early. Biomarkers with high sensitivity, specificity, speed, and accuracy that could differentiate sepsis from non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) could bring about a revolution in sepsis treatment. Given the limitations and time required for microbial verification of pathogens, the accurate diagnosis of infection before employing antibiotic therapy is important and clinically necessary. Procalcitonin (PCT), lactate, C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and proadrenomedullin (ProADM) are the common biomarkers used for diagnosis. The procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic treatment in patients with acute respiratory infections effectively reduces antibiotic exposure and side effects while improving survival rates. The evidence regarding sepsis screening in hospitalized patients is limited. Clinicians, researchers, and healthcare decision-makers should consider these findings and limitations when implementing screening tools, future research, or policy on sepsis recognition in hospitalized patients. The use of biomarkers in pediatric sepsis is promising, although such use should always be correlated with clinical evaluation. Biomarkers may also improve the prediction of mortality, especially in the early phase of sepsis, when the levels of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteins are elevated.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.383-390
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• 2008

Purpose : This study was aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with acute interstitial pneumonia who had presented similar clinical patterns from March to June, 2006 and to describe our experience of treatment and to identify risk factors associated with prognosis. Methods : The clinical characteristics, radiologic and histopathologic findings and response to steroids of 15 patients (non-survival group [n=7] and survival group [control, n=8]) with acute interstitial pneumonia were investigated through the review of medical records. Results : The mean age of the patients was 26 (range: 3-48) months. Cough, cyanosis and fever were frequent symptoms. The most frequent radiologic findings on admission were pneumomediastium and extensive ground glass opacity. Surgical lung biopsy was performed on 8/15 (53.3%) patients and diffuse alveolar damage was found. Mechanical ventilation was applied for 9/15 (60.0%) patients for 40 (range: 1-99) days. Five patients in survival group received steroid treatment and 7 patients in non-survivial group (P=0.20). One patient in survival group received steroid pulse treatment and 4 patients in non-survival group (P=0.12). Seven patients died all of respiratory failure. The survival rate was 53.4%. Conclusion : The patients with acute interstitial pneumonia which occurred on spring 2006 showed high mortality because of rapidly and extensively progressing pulmonary fibrosis and air leakage. Therefore, we should consider surgical lung biopsy and steroid application earlier. We should recognize this acute interstitial pneumonia occurring on spring in domestics and need to investigate the cause and treatment in large scale.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 1984

In this study lactating female rabbits and strains of coliforms previously isolated from the cases of acute and chronic mastitis in dairy cattle were employed. The pathological changes were observed on the mastitis experimentally induced with the coliform strains and the mamary glands after infusions of E. coli suspension together with dexamethasone, dextran iron or transferrin were grossly and microscopically observed. From the results reported, the following points are concluded. In the bacterial suspension-infused groups by E. coli, K. pneumoniae and Ent. aerogenes, respectively, the affected quarters of udder showed grossly swelling, hyperemia, hemorrhage, focal necrosis and firmness. The microscopic findings of early stage of the mastitis were appearance of large numbers of heterophils in the glandular lumina and ducts accompanied by degeneration, necrosis and desquamation of epithelial cells and also infiltration of heterophils, hemorrhage and edema in the interstitial tissue and destruction of alveoli. Later, proliferation of fibroblasts, plasma cells, lymphocytes, eosinophils and macrophages appeared in the glandular tissue and with these cells necrotic foci of glandular tissue were surrounded by highly proliferated connective tissue. In addition, granulomatous inflammatory changes could be observed in the glandular tissue from the 7th day after infusion. The difference of the inflammatory response among the groups did not recognized. In the groups infused with dexamethasone and E. coli suspension the inflammatory response was slighter at the inflammatory change with alveolar destruction and hemorrhage was more rapid and severer than E. coli alone. Also in the groups infused with dextran iron and E. coli suspension the inflammatory change was more rapid and severer than E. coli alone and the histological changes were not recognized in the groups infused with dextran iron alone. Reaction of the iron staining was diffusely strong positive within the glandular alveolar lumina in the groups of dextran iron alone, hut was slightly positive toward epithelial cells in the groups of dextran iron and E. coli infusion. In the group infused with transferrin and E. coli suspension, the inflammatory response was tighter, but the peroxidase activity of the heterophils in the glandular lumina was more or less stronger than E. coli alone.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2005

Purpose : Fungal infection is one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies. Amphotericin B(ABV) and itraconazole(ITZA) have been used as the standard empirical antifungal therapy in neutropenic patients with acute leukemia who have persistent fever that does not respond to antibiotic therapy. ABV is an antifungal drug associated with side effects such as fever and chills, symptoms which may be mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-$1{\beta}$(IL-$1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$(TNF-${\alpha}$). We assessed modulation of these pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokines(IL-4, IL-1Ra) by ABV and ITZA. Methods : From March 2004 to February 2005, a total of 30 episodes from acute leukemia patients with febrile neutropenia were analyzed for this study. They were randomly allocated to receive intravenous ABV or ITZA for 14 days. Clinical responses were evaluated at the completion of therapy, and cytokine IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-4, and IL-1Ra were measured for determination to know the correlation between two antifungal agents and inflammatory cytokines. Results : Empirical antifungal agents were given to 37 patients(ABV 20, ITZA 17), and 30 patients(ABV 15, ITZA 15) were evaluable for efficacy. White blood cell and absolute neutrophil count in the group treated with ITZA increased early days of treatment, so the duration of neutropenia in ITZA group is shorter. Serum creatinine level is lower in ITZA group than in ABV group but this is not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in response rate between two groups. The IL-$1{\beta}$ was increased in ABV treatment group and the ratio of IL-1Ra/IL-$1{\beta}$ is markedly decreased in ABV treatment group while increased in ITZA group. Conclusion : ITZA and ABV have at least equivalent efficacy as empirical antifungal therapy in neutropenic children with acute leukemia. However ITZA is associated with significantly less toxicity in clinical and molecular aspects.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this reports is to describe the influence of continuous external ventricular drainage [EVD] on delayed ischemic neurologic deficit [DIND] after early surgery in ruptured aneurysmal patients. Methods : The authors reviewed 229 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH] who had been treated with clipping at a single institution between 1998 and 2004. Of these, 121 patients underwent continuous EVD [Group A] postoperatively, whereas 108 patients did not [Group B]. EVD was performed at ipsilateral Kocher's point and maintained 2 to 14 days postoperatively. Results : DIND occurred in 15.7% [19 cases] of patients in Group A, 25% [27 cases] from Group B [P value=0.112]. Compared with Group A, Group B was more likely to suffer acute symptom of DIND and showed poor response to 3- H therapy. Major symptoms of DIND in Group A were mild confusion [36.8%] and mild deterioration of mental state [26.3%], contrary to weakness of extremities [59.2%] in Group B. At discharge, Glasgow Outcome Scales [GOS] of Group A were : good recovery [63.2%], moderately disabled [21%], severely disabled [10.5%], dead [5.3%] and Group B : good recovery [48.1%], moderately disabled [37%], severely disabled [14.8%] and dead [0%]. Of 121 patients from group A, 35 patients [28.9%] suffered ventriculitis. Conclusion : Continuous EVD after aneurysmal clipping in patients with SAH reduced the risk of DIND and its sequelae, relieved its symptoms, and improved the outcome.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.77-82
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• 2017

Thus, chemicals are managed under 9 related central government department and 16 relevant laws with program such as Process Safety Management and Offsite Consequence Analysis in korea. Guidelines for set the endpoint concentration for chemcals based on the ERPG-2 (Emergency Response Planning Guidelines-2) and AEGL-2 (Acute Exposure Guidelines Level-2). but ERPG and AEGL do not describe exposure for less than 10 minutes. because of this, each guidelines define criteria differently for short time less than 10 minutes exposure. This indefinite exposure criteria would give rise to a confusion in the chemical plants, and potentially lead to a critical decision making error when accidents happen. In an effort to apply guidelines with evenly-distributed initial time frame, AEGL concentrations within 10 minute exposure time were evaluated by examining statistical regression curves. The results were in good agreement with those from the Probit Function based on each AEGL grade to explain 3 different threshold levels of exposure effects. Resultant re-enforced guidelines for endpoint chemical concentrations are, therefore, to provide powerful tool to assess and manage the risk associated with any potential chemical accidents at an early stage.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.355-360
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• 1992

Nocardiosis is an acute, subacute or chronic infection, which usually introduced through the respiratory tract resulting pneumonia, and may develop a disseminated infection, especially subcutaneous abscess and/or CNS infection. It is usually affects the immunocompromized host and may be fatal unless early diagnosis and adequate treatment are performed. There have been only several case reports of nocardial infection in Korea. Nocardiosis is so unfamiliar to many physicians that may be misdiagnosed as pneumonia, tuberculosis, or neoplasm. We have experienced a case of nocardiosis from a patient who had been treated as pneumonia and tuberculosis at first. The 57-year-old male patient had fever, chill, dyspnea and blood tinged purulent sputum for 20 days. Under the impression of bacterial pneumonia, broad spectrum antibiotics were administered for more than 3 weeks without clinical improvement. Although antituberculous drugs began to be administered after acid fast bacilli were found in bronchial aspirate by bronchoscopy, the nocardial infection was suspected due to no clinical response toward antituberculous therapy and the occurrence of multiple subcutaneous abscesses on scalp. The diagnosis was made by modified Ziehl-Neelson stain and culture of the sputum and pus. Nocardia asteroides was identified. After 25 days of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment, the patient was much improved and discharged.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.127-134
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• 2024

The acute respiratory infection known as a coronavirus (COVID-19) may present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from no symptoms at all to severe pneumonia and even death. Expert medical systems, particularly those used in the diagnostic and monitoring phases of treatment, have the potential to provide beneficial results in the fight against COVID-19. The significance of healthcare mobile technologies, as well as the advantages they provide, are quickly growing, particularly when such applications are linked to the internet of things. This research work presents a knowledge-based smart system for the primary diagnosis of COVID-19. The system uses symptoms that manifest in the patient to make an educated guess about the severity of the COVID-19 infection. The proposed inference system can assist individuals in self-diagnosing their conditions and can also assist medical professionals in identifying the ailment. The system is designed to be user-friendly and easy to use, with the goal of increasing the speed and accuracy of COVID-19 diagnosis. With the current global pandemic, early identification of COVID-19 is essential to regulate and break the cycle of transmission of the disease. The results of this research demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of using a knowledge-based smart system for COVID-19 diagnosis, and the system has the potential to improve the overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, these sorts of knowledge-based smart technologies have the potential to be useful in preventing the deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.