• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.179-187
• /
• 2007

Purpose : Acute viral respiratory tract infection is the most common illness among children. Involved organisms are respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, etc. The objective of the present study is to determine epidemiology of each viral infection in Busan, South Korea between January 2004 and December 2006. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the results of clinical samples of throat and nasal swab collected from Busan city, South Korea between January 2004 and December 2006. We collected these samples from the children with acute respiratory illness. Viruses were detected by virus culture Results : The identified pathogens were influenza A in 131 cases (46.6 percent), RSV in 40 cases (14.2 percent), influenza B in 37 cases (13.2 percent), adenovirus in 23 cases (8.2 percent), enterovirus in 37 cases (13.2%) [coxsackie virus in 20 cases (7.1 percent), atypical enterovirus in 9 cases (3.2 percent), poliovirus in 4 cases (1.4 percent), echovirus in 4 cases (1.4 percent)], rhinovirus in 9 cases (3.2 percent), parainfluenza virus in 2 cases (0.7 percent), coronavirus and bocavirus in each 1 case (0.4 percent). Influenza A were detected every year, mostly in December through April and RSV in October through February. Adenovirus were detected through out the year. Bocavirus occurred in December, 2006. Conclusion : We analyzed epidemiologic characteristics of viruses to cause the respiratory disease that prevailed at Busan area for recent three years, and from now on, a further continuous study will be necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.854-861
• /
• 1997

CYPRA 21-1 is known to be a cytokeratin 19 fragment, and it can be detected by using two specific monoclonal antibodies (KS 19-1 and BM 19-21) and can be clinically applied as a useful circulating tumor marker The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) expression was evaluated and characterized by its tyrosine protein kinase activity and by its ligand-stimulated autophosphorylation, a property shared with other peptide growth factor receptors. Autocrine or para'urine action was initiated by a growth factor, or by a transforming growth factor o, which had an extensive homology with EGP and which also stimulated tyrosine kinase activity on the EGF-R. The CYFRA 21-1 and the EGF-R levels in 30 patients with primary lung tumors were investigated. There were 24 patients with squamous cell carcinomas and 6 patients with adenocarcinomas. Specimen 5 mm3 in size were sampled at three different locations ; the main lesion, the boundary between the lesion and the unaffected tissue, and the unaffected tissue of the patients. The results were as follows 1. The CYPRA 21-1 concentration in the cancer boundary, the most malignant region,(348.6 : 89.9 ng/ml) was the lowest value. The CYFRA 21-1 concentration in unaffected tissue,(718.4$\pm$77.8 ng/ml) was higher than that in the main lesion. which had intact cellularity. 2. The EGF-R concentration in the main lesion was higher than that in the unaffected tissue, and the EGF-R concentration in a squamous cell cacinoma was higher than that in an adenocarcinoma. also, the EGF-R concentration in the cancer b undary was highest at stage 1, ll. The EGF-R concentration was higher in the main cancer lesion that in the unaffected tissue at stage 111, IV. 3. The CYFRA 21-1 was a cytoplasmic skeleton and the EGF-R was a cell-wall component; there was no correlation. In conclusion, CYFRA 21-1 was abundant in the cytoplasm but had a higher concentration in the unaffected tissue than in the main cancer lesion. The CYFRA 21-1 concentration of the tissue did not reflect the amount of cancer activity, the EGP-R was located in the cell membrane, the level of tissue that reflects cancer activity, so the main cancer lesion had a higher concentration than the unaffected tissue. CYFRA 21-1 is not a useful tumor maker at the tissue level. Because the EGF-R concentration re(looted the cancer activity, its a useful tumor marker for lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.28-34
• /
• 1992

Background: Diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease distinguished from bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, bronchiectasis, or alveolitis. It is prevalent in Japan, but is known to be rare outside of Japan. Only a few cases in Chinese, Italian, Noirth American and Korean have been reported. During recent two years we have found 16 cases of DPB in Seoul National University Hospital and analyzed the clinical characteristics. Method: We reviewed the patients' age, sex, duration of illness, smoking history, occupational history and past medical history. And we analyzed patients' symptoms, physical signs, laboratory findings and responses to treatment. Results: 1) Male: female ratio was 2.2:1, the ages ranged from 27 to 72 years old, and the duration of disease varied from 1 to 20 years. 2) Most of the patients were being treated as bronchiectasis, miliary tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis or bronchial asthma before they were diagnosed as DPB. 3) Only one patient was a smoker, and 25% of patients had the occupational history of exposure to particles or gas. And all patients had paranasal sinusitis. 4) High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was very useful in diagnosing the disease in most of the patients. 5) PFT showed obstructive and restrictive abnormalities, and blood gas revealed hypoxemia in most of the patients. 6) Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in the sputum of four patients (25%). 7) The titers of cold hemaglutinin, RA factor and CRP were elevated in most of the patients. 8) Most of the patients improved after treatment with erythromycin. Conclusion: DPB might not be a rare disease in Korea. So DPB should be suspected in a patient who has chronic cough, sputum, dyspnea and diffuse fine nodular chest X-ray abnormality. HRCT and open lung biopsy should be considered in a patient suspected of DPB.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.122-129
• /
• 2010

Purpose : Enteroviral infection is a common viral illness in children. We undertook this study in attempt to comprehend the epidemiologic and clinical features of enteroviral infections, particularly EV71 in children. Methods : We enrolled 63 children with enteroviral infection at Severance Children's Hospital in Seoul between May and August 2009. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed from stool or cerebrospinal fluid samples, which were then tested for enteroviral infection. Viral isolation and serotype identification also were performed by RT-PCR. Results : A total of 63 patients with clinical diagnosis of enteroviral infections were enrolled; of those, 38 (60%) were positive for enterovirus. The mean age of the patients was 2 years and 7 months and the sex ratio of male to female was 0.9 :1. Their clincal manifestations included aseptic meningitis (21 cases, 55%), HFMD (16 cases, 42%), herpangina (5 cases, 13%), neonatal fever (2 cases, 5%), encephalitis (1 case, 3%), and myocarditis (1 case, 3%). Serotypes of isolated enteroviruses were EV71 (8 cases, 21%), coxsackievirus B1 (8 cases, 21%), coxsackievirus A16 (2 cases, 6%), coxsakievirus A2 (1 case, 3%), coxsakievirus A5 (1 case, 3%), and echovirus 9 (1 case, 3%). Clinical symptoms of EV71 infection included HFMD (5 cases, 63%), aseptic meningitis (3 cases, 38%), encephalitis (1 case, 13%), and myocarditis (1 case, 13%). A positive rate of C-reactive protein in EV71 was higher than those in other enterviral infections. However, there was no statistically significant difference in other laboratory findings. Conclusion : We reported on identified enteroviruses, including EV71, during a period of 3 months in the summer of 2009. In this study, EV71 infection frequently occurred in male and clinical manifestation caused by EV71 was a more severe disease than that due to other enterviral infections. There is a need for continuous surveillance of enteroviral infection and its clinical manifestations for diagnosis and treatment of enteroviral infection.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.209-217
• /
• 2003

The composition of muscle proteins and free amino acids in the mudskipper (hibernant fish) were investigated before and after hibernation (maturity period: August, hibernation period: November thru. April). It was found that crude proteins were 17.6% in August, 17.5% in November and 16.9% in April, while among the muscle proteins, sarcoplasmic proteins were constituted up to 19.2～20.4%, 58.8～61.3% for myofibrilla proteins, 11.2～13.2% for intracellular proteins and 7.5～8.3% for stroma proteins. Composition changes of the muscle proteins were hardly noted until November but during the hibernation(from Nov. to Apr.) the amount of the sarcoplasmic proteins and the myofibrillar proteins decreased pronouncedly. As for the sarcoplasmic proteins, 14 subunits were found and among them, the amount of 30 kDa and 46 kDa subunits were found to increase slightly in April compared with those in November, while the amount of 35 kDa and 65 kDa subunits were decreased slightly. As for the myofibrilla proteins, 13 subunits were found and detectable changes in their composition were not observed until November but in April the amount of myosin heavy chain was increased by 3%, while the amount of actin decreased by 3% when those are compared with the results in November. The composition of amino acids in the muscle proteins was hardly changed during the observation period. But there were considerable changes of composition of free amino acids. Glycine and alanine were found to be the major free amino acids. The most striking feature was the changes in the glycine and arginine content: the former, which is a dominant free amino acid, was increased by two-fold in April compared with that in August and the latter was increased by two-fold in November and by four-fold in April. It was also found that the amount of essential amino acids (i.e., lysine and histidine) and others (alanine, glutamic acid, serine, aspartic acid and valine) increased significantly during the hibernation period.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.720-728
• /
• 2014

In order to characterize the quality of Doenjang, fermented Korean soybean paste, subjected to long-term aging, this study performed physico-chemical analyses and sensory evaluation according to aging period (from 1 to 9 years). Regarding the proximate composition of Doenjang according to aging period, moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, crude ash, and salt contents showed little differences among Doenjang samples. Amino-type nitrogen content was 1,046.7 mg% in the 1 year-aged sample, 990.9~996.9 mg% in the 2~5 year-aged samples, and 1,214.1~1,304.8 mg% in the samples fermented more than 5 years. ${\Delta}$E value, reflecting total color differences between the samples, increased according to aging period. Ratios of linoleic and linolenic acids, which are essential fatty acids in soybeans, constituted 55% of total fatty acids, which was the most abundant among all fatty acids. The major free sugar in Doenjang was fructose at a content of 1.6~2.2% in 1~9 year-aged Doenjang. Glycoside form of isoflavones in Meju constituted 77.1%, and the aglycon form constituted 22.9%. However, the glycoside type of isoflavones in soybeans was converted to aglycon type in Doenjang through fermentation and aging. In the sensory evaluation of Doenjang samples, brown color, salt smell, soy sauce flavor, and viscosity all increased according to aging period, whereas sweet flavor, roast smell, beany flavor, salty taste, and acrid taste showed no significant differences. In cluster analysis of the sensory attributes of Doenjang according to aging period, 1 year-aged Doenjang was significantly different between 2 year- and 3~5 year-aged Doenjang.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.240-245
• /
• 2012

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium that causes serious infection, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Also, P. aeruginosa possessing carbapenem-resistant metallo-${\beta}$-lactamases (MBL) has been reported with increasing frequency in Korea. We therefore analyzed the level of multidrug-resistant clinical P. aeruginosa isolated from a secondary hospital in Korea in 2010. A total of 92 isolates of P. aeruginosa were collected from Sahmyook Medical Center in 2010. Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents was determined by analysis of the minimum inhibitory concentration test; the inhibitor-potentiated disk diffusion (IPD) test was performed for MBL detection. RAPD-PCR was used for genotyping to rapidly characterize P. aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical patients. The percentages of non-susceptible isolates were as follows: 40.2% to ceftazidime, 58.7% to meropenem, 56.5% to gentamicin, 46.7% to tobramycin, 62.0% to ciprofloxacin and 97.8% to chloramphenicol. The 29 multidrug-resistant strains were screened by the IPD test: of the 21 PCR-positive isolates, 19 were IPM-1 producers and 2 were VIM-2 producers. Among the 19 IMP-1-producing P. aeruginosa isolates, 16 isolates showed similar patterns, and three different banding patterns were observed. The proportion of IMP-1-producing multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa from clinical isolates steadily increased in this secondary hospital in Korea in 2010. This study provides information about the antimicrobial-resistant patterns and genotype of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolated from clinical isolates in Korea, 2010.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.11
• /
• pp.1191-1197
• /
• 2008

Purpose : Previously, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection was diagnosed by serological examination; currently, many EBV antigen detection methods have been developed and applied clinically for diagnosing EBV infection. To delineate the clinical characteristics of EBV infection, clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated for patients who tested positive in EBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods : EBV PCR was conducted in 352 patients admitted to the pediatric ward from January 2004 to December 2006, with more than 2 clinical signs such as fever (${\geq}37.5^{\circ}C$), exudative throat infection, lymphadenopathy, hepatitis of unknown etiology, and splenomegaly. The EBV viral gene was detected by PCR in 115 patients (32%), and the clinical characteristics of these patients were evaluated. Laboratory findings such as leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, atypical lymphocyte, and alteration in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in peripheral blood were examined. The EBV-specific immunoglobulin M antibody (EBV-IgM Ab) was also tested. Results : Most of the children were younger than 8 years (89%), and the male to female ratio was 1.3:1. Exudative throat infection and fever (${\geq}37.5^{\circ}C$) were observed in all patients. Cervical lymph node enlargement was seen in 36 patients (31 %); leukocytosis ($WBC{\geq}10,000/mm^3$), in 54 patients (47%); and atypical lymphocyte (${\geq}20%$), in 28 patients (24%). EBV-IgM Ab was positive in 33 patients (29%). The younger patients had higher ALT levels and higher incidence of positive EBV-IgM Ab than the older patients. Conclusion : The cumulative number of patients diagnosed to have EBV infection by PCR increased markedly for those under 8 years. ALT was higher and EBV-IgM Ab was detected more in younger patients with EBV infection.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2003

Nutritional compositions of three Tochukaso species (Paecilomyces tenuipes hosted by Larva and pupa, Cordyceps militaris, C. sinensis) were compared. Fruiting body and host fractions were separately analyzed. Fruiting body fraction of P. tenuipes (36.6%) hosted by larva was higher than that hosted by pupa (10.2%), an indication that the quality of the former is superior to the latter. Carbohydrate content of C. sinensis (39.6%) was $2.5{\sim}7$ times higher than those of others, probably due to the presence of polysaccharides. Protein and crude lipid contents of C. sinensis and C. militaris were 25.8 and 10.3%, and 75.1 and 3.9%, respectively. C. sinensis showed the lowest Ca content and $30{\sim}75$ times higher Fe content among the samples tested. Vitamin A content of C. militaris was 308.9 IU/100g, two fold higher than those of the other species. Saturated fatty acid content was the highest in P. tenuipes (pupa, 27.7%), whereas unsaturated fatty acid was the highest in P. tenuipes (larva, 83.3%). Aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and glycine were abundant in all species. Cordycepin content of C. militaris was $20{\sim}50$ times higher than those of the other species.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.920-925
• /
• 2015

The microbial composition in Nuruk, a Korean cereal fermentation starter, is a critical factor for the quality and organoleptic properties of traditional alcoholic beverages. This study was aimed at monitoring the compositional change and enzyme activity of culturable lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in two types of Nuruk fermented at different temperatures. All culturable LAB were isolated at various time points (0, 3, 6, 10, 20, and 30 days) and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. In traditional Nuruk type A (TN-A), which was fermented at $36^{\circ}C$, the population of total culturable LAB during the fermentation period was between $10^4$ and $10^5$ log CFU/mL. On the other hand, the LAB population in traditional Nuruk type B (TN-B) fermented at $45^{\circ}C$ (primary fermentation for 10 days) and $35^{\circ}C$ (secondary fermentation for 20 days) was $10^2$ log CFU/mL; however, these bacteria could not be detected after 6 days. Major LAB strains were identified in both Nuruk types: (1) from the MRS-culture of TN-A, Pediococcus pentosaceus at 3-30 days; (2) from MRS-culture of TN-B, P. pentosaceus at 3 days and Enterococcus hirae at 6 days. The protease activities of the dominant LAB isolated from the TN-A and TN-B cultures were within the ranges of 0.64~1.03 mg/mL and 0.74~0.81 mg/mL (tyrosine content), respectively, whereas the ${\alpha}$-amylase activities were 0.75~0.98 mg/mL and 0.78~0.79 mg/mL (amylose content), respectively.