• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.197-200
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• 2013

Diagnosis of cerebral syphilitic gumma is frequently determined at the time of surgery, because imaging and laboratory findings demonstrate the elusive results. A 59-year-old woman presenting dysarthria showed a mass on her brain computed tomography. She was first suspected of brain tumor, but histological results from surgical resection revealed cerebral gumma due to neurosyphilis. After operation, she presented fever and rash with an infiltration on a chest X-ray. Histological assessment of skin was consistent with syphilis. Fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbed test IgG in cerebrospinal fluid was positive. She was successfully treated with ceftriaxone for 14 days.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.58-58
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• 2012

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.102-106
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• 2016

More than 20 years after the first report of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in Korea, the disease is still having major impact on domestic pig health and relevant industries. Although ELISA tests are commonly used by veterinarians to guide herd management, data on diagnostic performance of the test in field settings are very limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate two commercially available PRRSV ELISA (IDEXX PRRS X3 ELISA and Bionote PRRSV ELISA 4.0) to detect antibodies against PRRSV on serum samples. To this end, a total of 1,108 sera were recruited from 35 swine farms located in Gyeonggi province and tested at the Gyeonggi Province Veterinary Service Center. All tests were performed according to the manufacturer's instructions, by laboratory technicians who routinely perform PRRS testing on blood samples. Samples were collected from two sources of swine populations with different PRRS prevalence; 60 samples (5.4%) were originated from breeding farms and the remaining 1,048 samples (94.6%) were from farrow-to-finish farms. We applied Bayesian latent class model (LCM) for two-tests in the two-population when the accuracy of the gold standard is not available. The model estimated that Bionote ELISA was a bit more specific but slightly less sensitive. The estimated sensitivity and specificity of the IDEXX ELISA were 99.8% (95% CI 98.1-100%) and 86.4% (95% CI 81.4-96.5%), respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for Bionote kit were 98.7% (95% CI 92.8-100%), 89.8% (95% CI 86.2-93.1%), 93.8% (95% CI 91.5-96.0%), and 97.8% (95% CI 87.1-100%), respectively. Based on the Bayesian 95% credible intervals, the sensitivity and specificity of the two ELISAs were not significantly different each other when assuming that two kits were imperfect, indicating that two kits performed equally well in terms of sensitivity and specificity in our filed setting.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 1995

To understand the molecular structure of Korean garlic viruses, cDNA cloning of virus genomic RNA was attempted. Virus particles were isolated from virus-infected garlic leaves and a cDNA library was constructed from garlic virus RNA. One of these clones, S81, selected by random sequencing has been identified as a member of potexvirus group other than potyvirus and carlavirus. The clone is 873 bp long contains most of the coat protein (CP) coding region and 3'-noncoding region including poly(A) tail. A putative polyadenylation signal sequence (AAUAAA) and the hexanucleotide motif (ACUUAA), a replicational cis-acting element conserved in the 3'-noncoding region of potexvirus RNAs are noticed. The clone S81 shows about 30-40% identity in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences with CPs of potexviruses. The genome size of the virus was analysed to be 7.46 knt by Northern blot analysis, which was longer than those of other potexviruses. The open reading frame encoding CP was expressed as a fusion protein (S81CP) in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was purified by immobilized metal binding affinity chromatography. Polyclonal antibody was raised against S81CP in rabbit to examine the occurrence of garlic potexvirus in Korean garlic plants by immunoblot analysis. Two virus protein bands of Mr 27,000 and 29,000 from garlic leaf extract of various cultivars reacted with the antibody. It was shown that Mr 27,000 band might not be a degradation product of Mr 29,000 band, suggesting that two types of potexvirus different in size of coat protein could exist in Korean garlic plants.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.309-318
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• 2020

Besides respiratory infection, COVID-19 has many neurological symptoms not only loss of smell and taste but also fatigue and brain fog. But it is a challenge to treat the neurological symptoms especially of anosmia and ageusia. In order to search for the therapeutic methods, the geographical diversity and pathological mechanisms of the COVID-19 and two symptoms were investigated from the latest clinical studies. Because the environmental conditions of the monsoon climate zone of East Asia and the Mediterranean and Oceanic climate zone of Italy, Britain, United States and tropical Brazil are different, each of diverse etiology and internal milieu should be considered differently in the treatment. SARS-CoV-2 exhibits the dampness-like characteristics and the olfactory and gustatory disorders are particularly more common than other flu or cold. and it tends to show features of damaging the lung qi of olfaction and heart-spleen qi of gustation. The mechanisms of olfactory and gustatory loss are various according to precursory, inflammatory, non-inflammatory and sequelar forms, so the therapeutic method should be designed for each period and pathology. If the process of inflammation arises from nasal and respiratory, olfactory epithelium to the central nervous structure by way of blood brain barrier, the treatment should be corresponded with the stage and depth of pathogen place. And if the olfactory loss is asymptomatic or in the initial stage, it can be applied intranasal topical scent therapy to relieve temporary locking of qi movement, but maybe also used in parallel together with herbs of relieving dampness toxin latent in the lung parenchyma.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.67.1-67.15
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• 2023

Background: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) causes an acquired immunodeficiency-like syndrome in cats. FIV is latent. No effective treatment has been developed for treatment the infected cats. The first and second generations non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) for HIV treatment, nevirapine (NVP) and efavirenz (EFV), and rilpivirine (RPV), were used to investigate the potential of NNRTIs for treatment of FIV infection. Objective: This study aims to use experimental and in silico approaches to investigate the potential of NNRTIs, NVP, EFV, and RPV, for inhibition of FIV reverse transcriptase (FIV-RT). Methods: The FIV-RT and human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (HIV-RT) were expressed and purified using chromatography approaches. The purified proteins were used to determine the IC₅₀ values with NVP, EFV, and RPV. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis was used to calculate the binding affinities of NNRTIs to HIV-RT and FIV-RT. The molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations were used to demonstrate the mechanism of FIV-RT and HIV-RT with first and second generation NNRTI complexes. Results: The IC₅₀ values of NNRTIs NVP, EFV, and RPV against FIV-RT were in comparable ranges to HIV-RT. The SPR analysis showed that NVP, EFV, and RPV could bind to both enzymes. Computational calculation also supports that these NNRTIs can bind with both FIV-RT and HIV-RT. Conclusions: Our results suggest the first and second generation NNRTIs (NVP, EFV, and RPV) could inhibit both FIV-RT and HIV-RT.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.282-288
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• 2003

It is known that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection, which causes AIDS after some latent period, is a dynamic process that can be modeled mathematically. Effects of available anti-viral drugs, which prevent HIV from infecting healthy cells, can also be included in the model. In this paper we illustrate control theory can be applied to a model of HIV infection. In particular, the drug dose is regarded as control input and the goal is to excite an immune response so that the symptom of infected patient should not be developed into AIDS. Finite horizon optimal control is employed to obtain the optimal schedule of drug dose since the model is highly nonlinear and we want maximum performance for enhancing the immune response. From the simulation studies, we found that gradual reduction of drug dose is important for the optimality. We also demonstrate the obtained open-loop optimal control is vulnerable to parameter variation of the model and measurement noise. To overcome this difficulty, we finally present nonlinear receding horizon control to incorporate feedback in the drug treatment.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1951-1956
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• 2003

It is known that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection, which causes AIDS after some latent period, is a dynamic process that can be modeled mathematically. Effects of available anti-viral drugs, which prevent HIV from infecting healthy cells, can also be included in the model. In this paper we illustrate control theory can be applied to a model of HIV infection. In particular, the drug dose is regarded as control input and the goal is to excite an immune response so that the symptom of infected patient should not be developed into AIDS. Finite horizon optimal control is employed to obtain the optimal schedule of drug dose since the model is highly nonlinear and we want maximum performance for enhancing the immune response. From the simulation studies, we find that gradual reduction of drug dose is important for the optimality. We also demonstrate the obtained open-loop optimal control is vulnerable to parameter variation of the model and measurement noise. To overcome this difficulty, we finally present nonlinear receding horizon control to incorporate feedback in the drug treatment.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2007

Varicella-zoster virus is a human herpesvirus that causes chickenpox (varicella), becomes latent in cranial nerve and dorsal root ganglia, and frequently reactivates to produce shingles (zoster) and postherpetic neuralgia. Varicella zoster meningitis is a rare complication after varicella zoster infection. It usually affects a patient of immunocompromised or impaired cellular immunity, is rare in a immunocompetent child. We report two cases of aseptic meningitis in association with varicella zoster, not having any complication in the immunocompetent children.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.62-65
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• 2017

Reactivation of the latent varicella zoster virus in the sensory ganglion causes herpes zoster (HZ). Its characteristic symptom is a painful rash in the involved dermatome. HZ-induced motor weakness is rare and is usually resolved within one year of the onset, but some patients permanently experience motor dysfunction. Epidural steroid administration, with antiviral therapy, can be effective in treating pain from HZ and preventing postherpetic neuralgia. But an epidural block is contraindicated in patients receiving thromboprophylaxis. A psoas compartment block (PCB) provides equivalent analgesic efficacy with significantly low incidence of complication, compared to an epidural block. A 68 year old male patient recieving thromboprophylaxis presented with motor weakness following painful rash in his left L4 dermatome. Ten days before presentation, herpetic rash occurred on his left leg. We performed PCB with a steroid and local anesthetic, which successfully and safely alleviated the pain and motor weakness from HZ.