• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.10
• /
• pp.1077-1084
• /
• 2008

Purpose : Despite the seriousness of bacterial meningitis in children, there is little information on the incidence, causative organisms, mortality rate and age distribution. We studied the frequency by age group and causal pathogens, and clinical characteristics in children with bacterial meningitis in the private sector in Korea. Methods : The medical records containing the data on bacterial meningitis patients under 18 years of age confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings were retrospectively analyzed from September, 1993 to August, 2006 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Results : Eighty-one cases of bacterial meningitis were observed. Overall the most common organism was Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus, GBS) (30 cases, 37.0%) followed by Haemophilus influenzae (22 cases, 27.2%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (12 cases, 14.8%), Escherichia coli (3 cases, 3.7%), Neisseria meningitidis (1 case, 1.2%) and others (13 cases, 16.0%). In neonates and young infants under 2 months, the most common organism was GBS. In children between 3 months, and 5 years, the most common organism was H. influenzae. S. pneumoniae was the most common organism in children over 5 years of age. Thirty-one patients (38.3%) had complications. Of all ages, the mortality rate of bacterial meningitis markedly decreased compared with the previously reported rate. Conclusion : In neonates, GBS meningitis was most common. The frequency of H. influenzae meningitis decreased after the introduction of H. influenzae type b vaccination. A strategy for the prevention of GBS meningitis in neonates should be established. The influence of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on S. pneumoniae meningitis should be studied.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.7
• /
• pp.671-689
• /
• 2008

The economic recession of North Korea has been prolonged, the need for humanitarian assistance for the women and children of DPRK has been raised. In March 2006, South Korean government signed MOU with World Health Organization (WHO) to financially support "Improving Women's and Children's Health in DPRK (IWCH)" project. The assistance projects through UNICEF and the non-government organizations of South Korea were also followed. IWCH project consists of three parts; nutrition, disease management, children and maternity care. The first term (2006-2007) of the project leading by WHO was finished, and the second term (2008-2010) is just begun. The projects driven by NGOs have relatively been delayed due to difficulties in negotiating on project contents and places with North Korea. Recently, however, re-modeling processes of an obstetric/gynecology hospital and a children hospital in Nampo were started. Up to recently, South Korean government has played only a limited role in the humanitarian assistance for North Korea. IWCH project is, however, a full-scale initiative driven by government based on a systematic review of need and priorities. A significant amount of budget and relatively long term (five year) project compare to the previous short term and small size programs were expected to make more meaningful achievement. Despite these positive aspects, the project remains a list of unsolved problems a lack of mutual trust, a different decision making process between South and North Korea, a lack of conflict management process, and unpredictability and complexity of international politics. In spite of such kind of political uncertainty, the health care sector will be a leading area in the process of improving relationship between South and North Korea, particularly, humanitarian assistance for women and children will play a crucial role in the process. The successful implementation of IWCH project, therefore, will contribute to provide the reference model in developing the mutually constructive relationship between South and North

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.171-180
• /
• 2014

The primary objective of the present study is the characterization of the hybrids of monokaryon- monokaryon (mono-mono) crosses in mushroom breeding. We employed this technique for developing superior strains from Pleurotus species strains with 85 mono-mono intraspecific hybrids of 7 combinations between six Pleurotus ostreatus strains and one Pleurotus florida strain. In this study, the results of analysis on hybridization rate, nuclear DNA patterns, and colors and yields of fruit-bodies, are presented as follows. The crossability between mono-mono crossing ranges between 50 and 93.75%. The results of the analysis on the nuclear DNA patterns of 85 hybrid strains of mono-mono crosses share the nuclei of both parents, but their genetic similarities were predominated by either parent. The hybrid strain between P. florida and P. ostreatus showed patterns more similar to P. florida, while the hybrid strain between P. ostreatus and P. ostreatus either had patterns predominated by either parent strain. The fruiting body colors of the mono-mono crosses mostly had combined colors of both parents but showed the tendency of being more similar to that of either parent. 82% of the hybrid strain indicated similar fruiting body yields compared to both parent strains, while 0% was higher and 18% were lower than both parents. The present study was able to find out and suggest superior hybrid trains by identifying the nuclear DNA patterns of hybrids between Pleurotus species as well as the characteristics of their fruiting bodies. This study expects that the advantages of the mono-mono crossing are needs to be fully utilized in mushroom breeding and it is better to develop superior strains of Pleurotus species strains together with the mono-mono crossing.

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.209-215
• /
• 2014

Changes in physical and chemical properties of oak sawdust were investigated by depth and time for 46 days during the fermentation process of 33 tons of the sawdust for oak mushroom cultivation. The degrees of change in the properties of the sawdust differed depending on the depth and fermentation period. Most of the physical-chemical properties except temperature and pH gradually changed during the fermentation. The temperature change was highly sensitive to the environment at the surface sawdust to 20 cm depth, while it gradually increased to the maximum $58.9^{\circ}C$ at 40~100 cm depths in 12 days and slowly to the maximum at 150 cm depth in 24 days. The moisture content of the sawdust decreased gradually from 31% to 26.5~28.0% in 24 days. Of the chemical properties during the fermentation, pH generally rose from 5.2 to 5.6, but it decreased to 4.4~4.7 at 150 cm depth in 16 days. While the carbon content of the sawdust was 68~70% without significant change, nitrogen content increased from 0.22% to 0.25% and thus C/N ratio gradually lowered from 320 to 280. P content in the sawdust gradually increased from 0.005% to 0.022% for 46 days. Osmotic concentration of the hot water extract of the sawdust varied 41.5~44.2 mmol/kg without significant change by the depth and time. The starch particles within initial ray parenchyma cells of sawdust decreased and fungal hyphae formed on the surface of the sawdust granules and within xylem vessel cells in 35 days. The effect of the sawdust fermentation on oak mushroom cultivation needs continued research.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.75-84
• /
• 2002

Purpose Acute pyelonephritis of growing kidneys may result in renal scarring. TGF-${\beta}1$, inflammatory cytokine, has been suggested to play an important role in promoting renal scarring through apoptosis, suppression of cellular proliferation and fibrosis. We observed the effects of a potent anti-inflammatory agent, methylprednisolone on apoptosis and renal scarring in experimentally induced acute pyelonephritic weaning rats. Materials and Methods: To induce ascending pyelonephritis a saline solution containing Escherichia coli type ATCC No. 25922, pili- form (107 bacteria/mL) was infused into the bladder through the 16-guage silicone cannula for 48 hours to 102 three-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (50-60g). Experimental groups were divided into three groups according to the treatment protocols, group I (ceftriaxone only, n=3l), group II (methylprednisolone+ceftriaxone n=28), control group (n=43) was not treated. Histopathologic scores of inflammatory changes, fibrosis and tubular atrophy, the apoptosis index and TGF-${\beta}1$ expression score were observed at post-infection 1 and 3 week. Datas were analysed using ANOVA test and P value below 0.05 was interpreted as significant. Results: The mortality rate ($21.4\%$) of group II was not different to the control group ($41.9\%$) and group I ($32.3\%$). The inflammatory score of group II ($0.8{\pm}0.87$) at week 1 was significantly lower than those of the control group ($2.3{\pm}0.87$) and Group I ($1.7{\pm}0.79$) (P<0.05). Apoptosis index of group II ($2.9{\pm}2.15$) at week 1 was significantly lower than those of the control group ($10.0{\pm}1.95$) and group 1 ($8.3{\pm}2.53$) (P<0.05). TCF-${\beta}1$ expression score of group II ($0.8{\pm}0.72$) at week 1 was significantly lower than those of the control group ($1.9{\pm}0.68$) and group I ($1.8{\pm}0.60$) (P<0.05). The fibrosis score of group II ($1.1{\pm}1.10$) at week 3 was significantly lower than that of the group I ($1.8{\pm}0.83$) (P<0.05) Conclusion: Conclusion Combined treatment with methylprednisolone and ceftriaxone reduced inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis and TGF-${\beta}1$ expression in acute pyelonephritic weaning rats, compared to ceftriaxone alone. Anti-inflammatory agent supplemented to antibiotics could prevent renal scarring more effectively. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2002 ; 6 : 75-84)

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.87-95
• /
• 2008

Neural stem/precursor derived from pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has considerable therapeutic potential due to their ability to generate various neural cells which can be used in cell-replacement therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. However, production of neural cells from hESCs remains technically very difficult. Understanding neural-tube like rosette characteristic neural precursor cells from hESCs may provide useful information to increase the efficiency of hESC neural differentiation. Generally, neural rosettes were derived from differentiating hEBs in attached culture system, however this is time-consuming and complicated. Here, we examined if neural rosettes could be formed in suspension culture system by bypassing attachment requirement. First, we tested whether the size of hESC clumps affected the formation of human embryonic bodies (hEBs) and neural differentiation. We confirmed that hEBs derived from $500{\times}500\;{\mu}m$ square sized hESC clumps were effectively differentiated into neural lineage than those of the other sizes. To induce the rosette formation, regular size hEBs were derived by incubation of hESC clumps($500{\times}500\;{\mu}m$) in EB medium for 1 wk in a suspended condition on low attachment culture dish and further incubated for additional $1{\sim}2$ wks in neuroectodermal sphere(NES)-culture medium. We observed the neural tube-like rosette structure from hEBs after $7{\sim}10$ days of differentiation. Their identity as a neural precursor cells was assessed by measuring their expressions of neural precursor markers(Vimentin, Nestin, MSI1, MSI2, Prominin-1, Pax6, Sox1, N-cadherin, Otx2, and Tuj1) by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining. We also confirmed that neural rosettes could be terminally differentiated into mature neural cell types by additional incubation for $2{\sim}6$ wks with NES medium without growth factors. Neuronal(Tuj1, MAP2, GABA) and glial($S100{\beta}$ and GFAP) markers were highly expressed after $2{\sim}3$ and 4 wks of incubation, respectively. Expression of oligodendrocyte markers O1 and CNPase was significantly increased after $5{\sim}6$ wks of incubation. Our results demonstrate that rosette forming neural precursor cells could be successfully derived from suspension culture system and that will not only help us understand the neural differentiation process of hESCs but also simplify the derivation process of neural precursors from hESCs.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.144-152
• /
• 1993

A bacterium which degrades efficiently synthetic detergents was isolated from the polluted waters, activated sludge of wastewater treatment plants or polluted soil. This bacterium showed considerably higher growth rate in the agar plate containing $2,000{\mu}g/ml$ of synthetic detergents than any other isolated strains, was identified as a Pseudomonas fluorescens or strains similar to it. The strain was named as a Pseudomonas fluorescens S1. Optimum pH and temperature for the growth of the Pseudomonas fluorescens S1 were pH 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. The strain was resistant to streptomycin and gentamycin, but sensitive to kanamycin. The strain was greatly resistant to zinc chloride, lead nitrate and copper sulfate, but unable to grow in the presence of relatively low concentrations of mercury chloride and silver nitrate. This strain utilized benzene, catechol, cyclohexane and xylene as a sole carbon source. The strain was well grown in the medium containing ABS 10,000${\mu}g$/ml. Degradation of ABS was 55% and 60% at 20${\mu}g$/ml and 100${\mu}g$/ml of ABS, respectively. Benzene ring was degraded 45% in 100${\mu}g$/ml of ABS. During the incubation of the strain in the medium containing ABS 100${\mu}g$/ml and COD 10,000${\mu}g$/ml for 4 days, degradation of ABS and COD were reduced to 40${\mu}g$/ml and 3,200${\mu}g$/ml, respectively. Total amino acid content of the Pseudomonas fluorescens S1 grown with 1,000${\mu}g$/ml of ABS was 115mg/g cell, whereas its content was decreased in the bacterium grown without synthetic detergent by 9.4%.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.129-143
• /
• 1993

The objective of this study is to understand the status of the water pollution in rural areas and to furnish a basic material for the management of the water pollution in rural areas. For this purpose, the Bokha river basin, Ichon-Gun, Kyungki-Do considering as a typical agricultural area was selected as a representative experimental watershed. The characteristics of water pollution in streams of the Bokha river basin was revealed by investigating and analyzing data collected for the source of pollution, water qualities in reaches of the stream, the degree of contribution to the river contamination by pollution mass produced from each source, and the status of the self-purification at the main stream. The most important source of the water pollution in investigated watershed was livestock, and the next important one were in the order of population, land use, and industry. The water quality of the Bokha river was relatively favorable judging from the BOD and COD concentration, however since the concentration of T-N and T-P showed significantly large values, it was concluded that the river was seriously contaminated by the nutrient material. The main cause of the river contamination was proved due to livestock waste. For the T-N, both land use and livestock were much more contributied to the pollution than any other source, which characterized the typical water pollution of rural areas. Run-off ratios for the Bokha river tributaries to the main stream were changed according to the similar trend to the variation of discharges in the branch streams. For the value of the self-purification constant at the main stream, it showed smaller value in the downstream reach than the middle-stream and upstream reaches, where could possibly have smaller reoxidation action due to slower velocity and deeper water depth.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.61-65
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guide steroid injection according to Morton's neuroma size. Materials and Methods: From October 2008 to September 2011, 17 patients (23 cases) diagnosed with Morton's neuroma were investigated. All cases were female and mean age was 52.6 years old. Neuroma were measured by the horizontal and longitudinal length of the mass and underwent ultrasound-guided steroid (5 mg dexamethasone) injection. The efficacy of the injection was determined by Visual Analogue Scale pain score and patient satisfaction(subdivided 4 group-much improved, improved, not improved, aggrevation) Results: 7 of 23(30.4%) cases showed much improved and improved satisfaction and mean longitudinal and horizontal length were $0.71{\pm}0.39cm$ and $0.47{\pm}0.24cm$, respectively. 16 of 23(69.6%) cases showed not improved and aggrevation satisfaction and mean longitudinal and horizontal length were $0.83{\pm}0.42cm$ and $0.54{\pm}0.14cm$, repectively. There was a significant difference in VAS and patient satisfaction in case longitudinal and horizontal length were smaller than 0.5 cm and 0.4 cm. (p<0.05) Conclusion: The ultrasonography is a important modality in diagnosis and treatment of morton's neuroma. Ultrasound-guide steroid injection is effective in case longitudinal and horizontal length were smaller than 0.5 cm and 0.4 cm, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.215-223
• /
• 1978

In Korea, the annual production of watermelon and cantaloupe melon is around 110,000 to 170,000 Metric Tons, and as the fruit does not keep well, studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of preservation in the form of natural juice or lactic fermented juice. The results obtained in these studies are summarized as follows: (1) The average yield of juice obtained from watermelon was 56.2%, and from cantaloupe melon 65.8%, of the fresh weight. (2) The colloidal components of watermelon juice separated from the juice by sedimentation within 24 hours. Cantaloupe melon juice gave a stable colloidal dispersion. (3) No change in the colour of the juices was detected by sensory evaluation or instrumental methods after they were treated at $100^{\circ}C$ for 5 minutes. (4) The addition of canesugar to give a total solids content of 11/13 Brix gave juices which were preferred by most tasters. (5) Lactic fermentation of natural juices pasteurised at $90^{\circ}C$ for 5 minutes, and inoculated with a pure culture of lactic acid bacteria proceeded without interference from competing microorganisms. (6) Sensory evaluation of lactic fermented juices indicated that 60% of tasters found the juices as acceptable or better than commercial fruit nectars at present on the market. (7) Taste panels showed a preference for natural melon juices over the lactic fermented juices. (8) The peroxidase activity of cantaloupe melon juice was higher than that of watermelon juice, with juice extracted from the core of the fruit showing a higher activity than that from other portions of the tissue. (9) Two types of peroxidase, of differing heat stability were detected in both juices. The more heat stable peroxidase had a decimal reduction time of 40 minutes at $80^{\circ}C$ and a z value of $11^{\circ}C$.