• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2017

Objectives : Infectious diseases by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a growing problem worldwide. Characteristic of MRSA is endlessly mutation to resist antibiotics. Daehwanggo (DHG) is one of the oriental medicine prescriptions contained in Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine. Daehwanggo was mainly used for external preparation from old times. The purpose of this study is to confirm possibility as supplementary drug of DHG about antibiotics through observation of synergy effect between DHG and commercial antibiotics and to observe restriction on growth of MRSA on any pathway through observation of mechanism. Methods : The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of DHG against MRSA is $500{\sim}2000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ by broth dilution method. In the checkerboard method, the combinations of DHG with antibiotics has partial synergistic effect or synergy effect and DHG markedly reduced the MICs of the antibiotics oxacillin (OX), gentamicin (GT) against MRSA. In the inhibition of resistance mechanism of DHG against MRSA, the expression of resistance gene and protein about ${\beta}-lactam$ antibiotic was reduced. Also, we observed the effect of DHG about cell membrane permeability against MRSA, and confirmed that DHG suppressed growth of strains by increasing cell membrane permeability. Results : Basis on the result, we speculate that DHG increase antibacterial activity of antibiotics against MRSA by changing the structure of cell wall of MRSA. Conclusions : These data suggest that Daehwanggo possesses possibility as supplementary drug about antibiotics against MRSA.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.249-259
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• 2023

Purpose: Since patients on hemodialysis (HD) are known to be vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many studies were conducted regarding the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in HD patients in Western countries. Here, we assessed antibody response of HD patients for 6 months post-vaccination to identify the duration and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Asian population. Materials and Methods: We compared antibody response of the COVID-19 vaccine in HD patients with healthy volunteers. Patient and control groups had two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA-1273, respectively. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was measured before vaccination, 2 weeks after the first dose, 2 and 4 weeks, 3 and 6 months after the second dose. Neutralizing antibody was measured before vaccination and at 2 weeks, 3 and 6 months after second dose. Since the third dose was started in the middle of the study, we analyzed the effect of the third dose as well. Results: Although antibody production was weaker than the control group (n=22), the patient group (n=39) showed an increase in IgG and neutralizing antibody after two doses. And, 21/39 patients and 14/22 participants had a third dose (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 in the patient group, mRNA-1273 in the control group), and it did not affect antibody response in both group. Trend analysis showed IgG and neutralizing antibody did not decrease over time. Age, sex, and HD vintage did not affect antibody production in HD patients. Patients with higher body mass index displayed better seroresponse, while those on immunosuppressants showed poor seroresponse. Conclusion: Two doses of vaccination led to significant antibody response in HD patients, and the antibody did not wane until 6 months.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2024

This study assessed the contamination level of food poisoning bacteria on handles of food service equipment in childcare centers to prevent food poisoning and analyzed toxin genes and antibiotic resistance of isolated strains. The isolates used in this study were collected from 101 childcare centers in Jeollanam-do. Four strains of Bacillus cereus and two strains of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated on the handles of food service equipment (refrigerators and freezers). The toxin genes of B. cereus were detected as nheA, nheB, nheC, entFM, and cytK. No toxin genes of S. aureus were detected. B. cereus showed resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, such as ampicillin and cefepime. S. aureus also showed resistance to antibiotics such as ampicillin and cefepime. Therefore, microbial safety and hygiene management, such as periodic sterilization of handles, should be strengthened to prevent food poisoning caused by cross-contamination of food service equipment handles in childcare centers.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.05a
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• pp.27-28
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• 2014

Beauveria bassiana (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) is an anamorphic fungus having a potential to be used as a biological control agent because it parasitizes a wide range of arthropod hosts including termites, aphids, beetles and many other insects. A number of bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs) have been isolated from B. bassiana and functionally verified. Among them, beauvericin and bassianolide are cyclic depsipeptides with antibiotic and insecticidal effects belonging to the enniatin family. Non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) play a crucial role in the synthesis of these secondary metabolites. NRPSs are modularly organized multienzyme complexes in which each module is responsible for the elongation of proteinogenic and non-protein amino acids, as well as carboxyl and hydroxyacids. A minimum of three domains are necessary for one NRPS elongation module: an adenylation (A) domain for substrate recognition and activation; a tholation (T) domain that tethers the growing peptide chain and the incoming aminoacyl unit; and a condensation (C) domain to catalyze peptide bond formation. Some of the optional domains include epimerization (E), heterocyclization (Cy) and oxidation (Ox) domains, which may modify the enzyme-bound precursors or intermediates. In the present study, we analyzed genomes of B. bassiana and its allied species in Hypocreales to verify the distribution of NRPS-encoding genes involving biosynthesis of beauvericin and bassianolide, and to unveil the evolutionary processes of the gene clusters. Initially, we retrieved completely or partially assembled genomic sequences of fungal species belonging to Hypocreales from public databases. SM biosynthesizing genes were predicted from the selected genomes using antiSMASH program. Adenylation (A) domains were extracted from the predicted NRPS, NRPS-like and NRPS-PKS hybrid genes, and used them to construct a phylogenetic tree. Based on the preliminary results of SM biosynthetic gene prediction in B. bassiana, we analyzed the conserved gene orders of beauvericin and bassianolide biosynthetic gene clusters among the hypocrealean fungi. Reciprocal best blast hit (RBH) approach was performed to identify the regions orthologous to the biosynthetic gene cluster in the selected fungal genomes. A clear recombination pattern was recognized in the inferred A-domain tree in which A-domains in the 1st and 2nd modules of beauvericin and bassianolide synthetases were grouped in CYCLO and EAS clades, respectively, suggesting that two modules of each synthetase have evolved independently. In addition, inferred topologies were congruent with the species phylogeny of Cordycipitaceae, indicating that the gene fusion event have occurred before the species divergence. Beauvericin and bassianolide synthetases turned out to possess identical domain organization as C-A-T-C-A-NM-T-T-C. We also predicted precursors of beauvericin and bassianolide synthetases based on the extracted signature residues in A-domain core motifs. The result showed that the A-domains in the 1st module of both synthetases select D-2-hydroxyisovalerate (D-Hiv), while A-domains in the 2nd modules specifically activate L-phenylalanine (Phe) in beauvericin synthetase and leucine (Leu) in bassianolide synthetase. antiSMASH ver. 2.0 predicted 15 genes in the beauvericin biosynthetic gene cluster of the B. bassiana genome dispersed across a total length of approximately 50kb. The beauvericin biosynthetic gene cluster contains beauvericin synthetase as well as kivr gene encoding NADPH-dependent ketoisovalerate reductase which is necessary to convert 2-ketoisovalarate to D-Hiv and a gene encoding a putative Gal4-like transcriptional regulator. Our syntenic comparison showed that species in Cordycipitaceae have almost conserved beauvericin biosynthetic gene cluster although the gene order and direction were sometimes variable. It is intriguing that there is no region orthologous to beauvericin synthetase gene in Cordyceps militaris genome. It is likely that beauvericin synthetase was present in common ancestor of Cordycipitaceae but selective gene loss has occurred in several species including C. militaris. Putative bassianolide biosynthetic gene cluster consisted of 16 genes including bassianolide synthetase, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, and putative Gal4-like transcriptional regulator genes. Our synteny analysis found that only B. bassiana possessed a bassianolide synthetase gene among the studied fungi. This result is consistent with the groupings in A-domain tree in which bassianolide synthetase gene found in B. bassiana was not grouped with NRPS genes predicted in other species. We hypothesized that bassianolide biosynthesizing cluster genes in B. bassiana are possibly acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from distantly related fungi. The present study showed that B. bassiana is the only species capable of producing both beauvericin and bassianolide. This property led to B. bassiana infect multiple hosts and to be a potential biological control agent against agricultural pests.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.347-359
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• 2016

People are destined to live according to the time and fate after they are born. Man is connected with the idea that is called the Chinese zodiac sign related to one out of 12 animals, regardless of one's thought. This paper was written with the expectation that it will be a new turning point understanding the mutual influence and its changing process by catching the ethnic belief and emotion as well as its cultural background in the Asian Zone by investigating the meaning of the 12 Chinese zodiac shown in the folk painting from the viewpoint of folk lore including "Chinese zodiac sign" culture rooted in our daily lives. The animal 'Rat' has been lived well human beings accompanied by the fable or the nature, while the animal 'Ox' has been living together with human history. The 'Tiger' has been considered the 'Power retreating disease or a devil' to humans, which is the most frightening but near at hand. The 'Rabbit' in the fable is inculcating hope and ideals to humans. The imaginary 'Dragon' is rooted in the deep national belief, which is seated as 'Guardian god' of farming culture and mankind, while the 'Snake' is playing a role in protecting humans as the 'Sea God' in Tsushima and Jeju Island, and has been believed and followed in the deep mind of humans. The 'Horse' in the nomad culture has been adorned as the basic creature of nomadic society in the character of a psychic medium between the human and god or their 'Guardian god'. The ancient Japanese regarded 'Monkey' as holy, being connected with treasure. It infers a human's desire to borrow wisdom from 'Monkey'. 'Chicken' includes the meaning of a lucky sign connecting the sky and the human world by arranging together with humans. The 'Dog' is believed and followed as performing the function of a messenger connecting this world with the afterlife in the next world tale of shamanism. The 'Pig' also lives well with humans, being interpreted as fecundity. Although the meaning of the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals has ethnic differences, all of them have been shared with humans, rooted in the human mind, being believed, and followed in human lives.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.193-203
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical effects of ascending kidney water and descending heart fire pharmacopuncture treatment for hot flush and sweating. Methods : Ascending kidney water and descending heart fire pharmacopuncture is achieved by injecting pharmacopuncture on a specific acupoint to change from the state of water-fire disharmony to harmonious state. Hwangryunhaedok-tang (黃連解毒湯) pharmacopuncture is injected on both side Gyeonjeong (GB ₂₁ ), Pungji (GB ₂₀ ). Total 0.4 cc was injected by 0.1 cc each point. BUM (Bear’s gall bladder, ox bezoar and musk) pharmacopuncture is injected on both side Jeonjung (CV ₁₇ ), Jungwan (CV ₁₂ ), Gihae (CV ₆ ). Total 0.15 cc was injected by 0.05 cc each point. Treatment was done daily. The method of evaluation are Hot Flush Score (HFS), VAS and sweating areas. Results : In case 1, after treatment hot flush score was reduced from 24 to 4 points. VAS scale was reduced from 7 to 2. It took about two weeks for the symptoms to decrease by half. Associated symptoms almost did not stay at discharge. In case 2, after treatment hot flush score was reduced from 28 to 2 points. VAS scale was reduced from 10 to 3. And emotional symptoms were reduced about 70%. In case 3, after treatment hot flush score was reduced from 8 to 1 points. VAS scale was reduced from 6 to 1. And headache and chest discomfort symptoms have disappeared. Conclusions : Ascending kidney water and descending heart fire pharmacopuncture treatment is effective for improve ascending kidney water and descending heart fire energy. Therefore, it will be used to alleviate hot flush and sweating.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.424-434
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• 2011

The increase in the consumption of herb medicines have made their use a public health problem due to the potential fungal contamination and the risk of the presence of my cot ox ins. 360 samples of herb medicines were evaluated for the aflatoxin contamination. The natural occurrence of aflatoxins in these samples were determined using immunoaffinity column clean up and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with post-column derivatization. For samples analyzed, mean levels (incidence) of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 in positive samples were $1.4\;{\mu}g/kg$(46.4%), $0.4\;{\mu}g/kg$(25.4%), $1.1\;{\mu}g/kg$(37.8%) and $0.9\;{\mu}g/kg$(24.3%), respectively. Recoveries of the full analytical procedure were 71.7~99.7% for AFB1, 88.1~99.2% for AFB2, 82.8~95.5% for AFG1 and 77.9~90.0% for AFG2. The excess cancer risk estimated using the cancer potency of aflatoxin B1 (7 $(mg/kg/day)^{-1}$ for $HBsAg^-$ and 230 $(mg/kg/day)^{-1}$ for $HBsAg^+$) were $1.30{\times}10^{-5}{\sim}1.22{\times}10^{-7}$ for hepatits B surface antigen negative ($HBsAg^-$) and $3.31{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}3.12{\times}10^{-6}$ for hepatits B surface antigen positive ($HBsAg^+$) respectively. In conclusion, although the contamination levels of samples used in the study were low, further actions are also required to undertake a program of herbal surveys in order to access mycotoxin contamination overall so that the safety of public will be protected.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 2004

This study was carried out to investigate the antibiotic resistance pattern of Listeria spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 17 (14.8%) L. monocytogenes, 13 (11.3%) L. innocua, 7 (7%) L. welshimeri, and 83 (72.2%) S. aureus were isolated from commercial poultry carcasses in Seoul and Kyonggi province during the period between 2001 and 2003. Antibiotic susceptibility test of all Listeria strains isolated was performed by the disk agar diffusion method. Antibiotics used in the study were as follows; Amikacin (An), Ampicillin (Am), Cephalothin (Cf), Chloramphenicol (C), Ciprofloxacin (Cip), Erythromycin (E), Gentamicin (Gm), Imipenem (Ipm), Kanamycin (K), Minocycline (Mi), Neomycin (N), Norfloxacin (Nor), Ofloxacin (Ofx), Penicillin (P), Streptomycin (S), Tetracycline (Te), Tobramycin (Nn), Trimethoprim (Tmp), Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazloe (Sxt), and Vancomycin (Va). The antibiotic resistance pattern of S. aureus isolates was performed by the disk agar diffusion method. For the latter program, antibiotics used to the study were as follows; Cf, C, Cip, Clindamycin (Cc), E, Gm, Ipm, Nafcillin (Nf), Oxacillin (Ox), P, Te, Sxt, and Va. Of the 17 L. monocytogenes isolates, 94.1% were resistant to Te, 88.2% to Mi, 11.8% to Nor, 11.8% to S, 5.9% to Cip, and 5.9% to C. Of 13 L. innocua, 53.8% were resistant to Te, 23.1% to Mi, 23.1% to S, 7.7% to Cip, and 7.7% to Nor. Of 7 L. welshimeri, 57.1% were resistant to Te, and 14.3% to Am. Of 83 S. aureus, 100% were resistant to Te, 86.7% to Gm, 34.9% to P, 15.7% to Cip, 12% to Cc, 9.6% to E. The multiple antibiotic resistance patterns of L. monocytogenes isolates were observed in Te Mi Cip (5.9%), Te Mi Nor (5.9%), Te Mi (76.5%), and Te Nor (5.9%). Multiple antibiotic resistance was also found in L. innocua isolates. Resistant to Te Mi S Cip Nor was 7.7%, Te Mi S (7.7%), Te Mi (7.7%), and was 7.7% to Te S. Antibiotic resistance patterns for S. aureus isolats were demonstrated to Te Gm P Cip Cc E (6.0%), Te Gm Cip Cc E (3.6%), Te Gm P Cc (1.2%), Te Gm P (15.6%), Te Gm Cip (2.4%), Te P Cip (2.4%), Te Gm Cc (1.2%), Te Gm (56.6%), Te P (9.6%), and to Te Cip (1.2%). The results of this study suggest a high incidence of Lsteria spp. and S. aureus on poultry carcasses. The contaminated poultry carcasses may be a potential vehicle for foodborne infections due to multiple antimicrobial resistant organisms.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.200-210
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• 1998

This study was conducted to find out the actual condition of dining-out and the preferences of restaurant and food according to age groups and sex distinction in Pusan area. The survey was conducted on 564 peoples who live or work, including students aged more than 4th grade in elementary school in Pusan area. The results of the questionnaires are as follows ; The reasons of prefferring restaurant were in order of "delicious taste", "comfortable atmosphere" and "economical price", and of no prefferring restaurant were in order on "untasty", "unsanitary" and "unkind employees". Female and student group were more in the items of unexperinced food than male and older group. The menu of preferring were in order of "sliced raw fish", "pizza", "bulgogi", and of no preferring were in order of "dog soup", "gopchang jengol", "ox tail soup" male and older group showed a relatively highest preference for "traditional food", however, female and younger(student group and young group) showed a relatively highest preference for "fast foods". The reasons of prefferring food were in order of "delicious taste", "something like" and "abundance of nutrition", and of no prefferring food were in order of "untasty", "hatred food" and "doesn't suit constitution". Male and older group showed a relatively highest preference for "abundance of nutrition", however, female and younger showed a relatively highest preference for "foreign food". But, the results of the preferences of restaurant and food were different according to sex distinction and age groups.ot;, however, female and younger showed a relatively highest preference for "foreign food". But, the results of the preferences of restaurant and food were different according to sex distinction and age groups.ge groups.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.206-225
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• 2019

This paper examines the trade and development aspects of glass mirrors through the literature records of the Joseon Dynasty, and studies the characteristics of existing glass mirror crafts by referring to the terms and types shown in the literature. The glass mirror in the records had called western mirrors(西洋鏡, 洋鏡), glass mirrors(玻璃鏡, 玻瓈鏡), stone mirrors(石鏡), etc. Glass mirrors were imported mainly through trade with Russia and the Qing Dynasty since the 17th century and were banned from importation in the late Joseon Dynasty. These mirrors were something new that caused a great stirring in Joseon society in the 18th century, and in the 19th century, it grew larger as a commodity needed for everyday life, especially with trade with Japan. At that time, glass mirrors were used for various purposes, such as installing large glass at a store, which were not the standard mirror usage of confirming one's appearance. These mirrors surprised Koreans in Joseon who experienced them at Yanjing Liulichang(燕京 琉璃廠) in the 18th and 19th centuries. As a result, the demand for glass mirrors rapidly increased and quickly surpassed that of bronze mirrors. Consequentially, new crafts using glass mirrors instead of bronze mirrors in Joseon began to be produced and used after the 18th century. In particular, integrated flat boards of glass mirrors were developed as crafts used indoors. It was convenient to use the hair comb box, a long-time presence in Joseon society, with the bronze mirror. This kind of mirror remained apparent in various genre paintings, including the Taepyeong Seongsido(太平城市圖, 'A Thriving City in a Peaceful Era') collected the National Museum of Korea which reflect its populism of the times. Also, the Mirror Stand(鏡臺) used in the Qing Period was produced in Joseon, but there was a difference in the way of making the drawers and box shapes between two nations. On the other hand, the Face Mirror(面鏡) was made to look at the face. Various crafts made with the aesthetic sense of Joseon, such as the ox horn inlaying craft technique, were produced with auspicious designs. In the 19th century, glass mirrors were imported from European countries, such as France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, however after the end of the 19th century Japanese crafts were popular. Glass mirrors, which were popular in the Meiji and Taisho eras of Japan, were imported and also the Mirror Screen(鏡屛) using large glass mirrors were used. In particular, the mirror screen had developed wood furniture since the previous time, which were used for banquets and large spaces, such as the drawing room, and were imported from China and Japan. In addition, the western architectural effect of attaching a mirror to the wall was also attempted to adjust the brightness of the space and introduce another image and scenery in the mirror. This was done at Deoksugung Palace's Seokjojeon.