• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.257-259
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• 2005

Although automated continuous-monitoring blood culture systems are both rapid and sensitive, false-positive and false-negative results still occur. The objective of this study, then, was to evaluate negative results occurring with BacT/Alert 3D blood culture systems. A total of 1032 samples were cultured with the BacT/Alert 3D automated blood culture system, using both aerobic (BPA) and anaerobic (BPN) media, and 128 of these samples yielded positive results. A total of 904 negative blood samples were then subcultured in $5\%$ sheep blood agar, eosin methylene blue, chocolate agar, and sabouraud-dextrose agar. Organisms growing on these subcultures were subsequently identified using both Vitek32 (bioMerieux, Durham, NC) and conventional methods. Twenty four $(2.6\%)$ of the 904 subcultures grew on the subculture media. The majority $(83.3\%)$ of these were determined to be gram-positive microorganisms. Fourteen $(58.3\%)$ were coagulase-negative staphylococci, two $(8.3\%)$ were Bacillus spp., one $(4.2\%)$ was Staphylococcus aureus, and one $(4.2\%)$ was identified as Enterococcus faecium. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria spp. were isolated together in two $(8.3\%)$ vials. Gram-negative microorganisms comprised $12.5\%$ of the subcultures, of which two $(8.3\%)$ were found to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and one $(4.2\%)$ was Pseudomonas fluorescens. The other isolate $(4.2\%)$ was identified as Candida albicans. We conclude that the subculture of negative results is valuable in the BacT/Alert 3D system, especially in situations in which only one set of blood cultures is taken.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.19-28
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• 2003

Sokmyeungtang was the representative prescription for Apoplexy under the rule of Tang and Song dynasty of which the cultures were thriving in the history of China. However, the clinical use of Sokmyeungtang has been gradually reduced since Geumwon dynasty of China because it was misunderstood that the dryness heat drugs of pungent in flavor and warm in property such as Ephedra, Pubescent Angelica Root, Chinese Cassia Tree-Bark, Divaricate Saposhnikovia Root, Prepared Aconite Root, Fresh Ginger, and Wildginger Herb included in the presciption for Apoplexy supplemented heat as damaging Yin flood. In fact, the drugs pungent in flavor and warm in property activate exterior and interior circulation, circulate channels and collaterals, promote blood circulation, and remove blood stasis with the side effect of relieving exterior syndrome with drugs warming channels. When treating Apoplexy with Sokmyeungtang, the cold drugs such as Gypsum, Baikai Skullcap Root, and Pueraria Root are prescribed to suppress fire of pungent dryness and to control excessive heat of people with Apoplexy as reducing the effects of hot drugs causing impairment of Yin. For treatment of Apoplexy, the above drugs accelerate blood and Qi circulation in channels and collaterals and then in necrotic tissue of human body as removing blood stasis. Consequently, these drugs improve disorders of capillary tube circulation. If Sokmyeungtang, an old prescription, is properly understood, it will be substantially helpful to all kinds of treatments in clinical cases

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.728-733
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• 2005

To elucidate the question of whether biofilm formed by the intercellular adhesion (ica) gene cluster has influences on antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus epidermidis, we compared 124 skin strains with strains isolated from 50 blood cultures that cause septicemic diseases. The results revealed that the blood culture isolates were more resistant to the antibiotics tested than the saprophytic isolates. Moreover, antibiotic multiresistance was more prevalent in the clinical isolates. In the blood culture isolates, $46\%$ of the strains were resistant to three or more antibiotics, whereas only $12\%$ of the saprophytic isolates were resistant to three or more antibiotics. Interestingly, these characteristics were highly correlated with the biofilm formed by the ica gene cluster. In biofilm-producing strains, $84\%$ of the blood culture isolates and $44\%$ of the saprophytic isolates were antibiotic multiresistant, whereas only $22\%=;and\;9\%$, respectively, were antibiotic multiresistant in biofilm-nonproducing strains. Additionally, in the biofilm-producing ica-positive strains, $89\%$ of the blood culture isolates and $57\%$ of the saprophytic isolates were antibiotic multiresistant. However, the rate of the antibiotic multiresistance in the ica-negative strains was very low, thus indicating that the biofim formed by the lea gene cluster in S. epidermidis is an important pathogenic factor in association with the antibiotic multiresistance.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.201-205
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• 2003

Purpose: Telomerase activity is generally absent in primary cell cultures and normal tissues. Telomerase is known to be induced upon immortalization or malignant transformation of human cells. Telomerase activity can be increased in immature lymphocytes and activated lymphocytes, but it is not detected in the peripheral blood of normal persons. The authors analyzed peripheral blood telomerase from patients of gastric cancer to evaluate the possibility of using it for diagnosis and as a prognostic factor. Materials and Methods: We obtained blood samples from 11 inflammatory patients and 64 gastric cancer patients. The telomerase activity was measured using the [PCR-ELISA] method. The results were correlated with the T, N, M stage, cell differentiation, vascular, neural, and lymphatic invasion, tumor size, and tumor location. Results: In the 11 inflammatory patients, telomerase activity was not detected while in the gastric cancer patients, a positive rate of $28.1\%$ was noted. The peripheral telomerase activity was not related with tumor size, tumor site, lymphatic and vascular invasion, stage, or histologic differentiation. Conclusion: The peripheral blood telomerase activity for patients of gastric cancer can be utilized as a marker for the diagnosis of not only advanced gastric cancer, but also relatively early stage gastric cancer, but not as a prognostic factor.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.337-346
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• 2018

Objectives: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is a specific biomarker that rises after bacterial infection, and levels of PCT are known to correlate with the severity and mortality of patients with pneumonia and sepsis. However, the usefulness of PCT levels in acute pyelonephritis is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using the PCT level as a predictive test for bacteremia in acute pyelonephritis. Methods: Between January 2012 and June 2013, 140 patients diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis were admitted to Haeundae Paik Hospital. Serum PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) levels at pre- and post- treatment were measured. Blood and urine cultures were obtained from all patients. The levels of PCT, CRP, and WBCs were each compared between the blood culture-positive and blood culture-negative groups to assess their effectiveness in predicting bacteremia. Results: Pre-treatment PCT level was 0.77 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.42-1.60 ng/mL) in the blood culture-negative group and 4.89 ng/mL (95% CI: 2.88-9.04 ng/mL) in the blood culture-positive group, and the increase between the two groups was statistically significant. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PCT level for prediction of bacteremia was 0.728. A cut-off value of 1.23 ng/mL indicated a sensitivity of 79.0 % and specificity of 60.0 % for PCT level. Conclusions: Serum PCT level is a useful predictive test for bacteremia in acute pyelonephritis. Through the early detection of bacteremia, serum PCT level can help estimate the prognosis and predict complications such as sepsis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.310-312
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• 2011

A preterm female infant born at 27 weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 990 g developed acute hypotonia, apnea, hypotension and bradycardia mimicking septic shock syndrome at 14h after birth. Laboratory tests indicated a severe hypermagnesemia of 45 mg/dL. The renal function, complete blood count and maternal blood concentrations of magnesium were normal, and the blood cultures were negative. The patient recovered with treatment including exchange transfusion. However, the etiology of the severe hypermagnesemia remains unknown.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.329-333
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• 2003

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) is a glycoprotein that stimulates the production of granulocytes, macrophages and white blood cells. hGM-CSF secreted by transgenic Nicotiana tabacum suspension cells was unstable in the culture medium and rapidly degraded by extracellular preteases. In order to reduce extracellular pretense activity, culture temperature was lowered. Then, the production of hGM-CSF by transgenic plant suspension cell cultures could be enhanced by reduced degradation of hGM-CSF at low temperature.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2011

Mosaicism is the presence of two or more chromosomally distinct cell lines, each seen in two or more cells. Chromosomal mosaicism presents one of the most difficult problems in prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis, requiring the differentiation of true mosaicism from pseudomosaicism. To overcome associated problems we investigated 24 cases (amniotic fluid 13 cases, abortus tissue 3 cases, peripheral blood 8 cases) in which mosaicism has been found in cytogenetic analysis. 5 cases (38.5%) of 13 amniotic fluid cells in which mosaicisms showed single cell pseudomosaicism. Chromosomal true mosaicism is found in about 0.28% (8/2,826) of amniotic fluid cell cultures. The 24 cases involved 12 cases (50%) with sex chromosomal abnormalities, 7 cases (29.2%) with autosomal structural defects, 3 cases (12.5%) with autosomal abnormalities, 2 cases (8.3%) with a supernumerary marker. Mosaicism detected in amniotic fluid may represent the true mosaicism or may pseudomosaicism. If the same chromosome abnormality is seen in more than one cell and in two different cultures, it is considered a true mosaicism, whereas single-cell abnormalities from a single culture are regarded as pseudomosaicism. In this study, we describe a mosaicism in chromosome analysis, its diagnostic problems and clinical significance.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.spc1
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• pp.65-84
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• 2005

Invasive candidiasis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Clinical diagnosis is complicated by a lack of specific clinical signs and symptoms of disease. Laboratory diagnosis is also complex because circulating antibodies to Candida species may occur in normal individuals as the result of commensal colonization of mucosal surfaces thereby reducing the usefulness of antibody detection for the diagnosis of this disease. In addition, Candida species antigens are often rapidly cleared from the circulation so that antigen detection tests often lack the desired level of sensitivity. Microbiological confirmation is difficult because blood cultures can be negative in up to 50% of autopsy-proven cases of deep-seated candidiasis or may only become positive late in the infection. Positive cultures from urine or mucosal surfaces do not necessarily indicate invasive disease although can occur during systemic infection. Furthermore, differences in the virulence and in the susceptibility of the various Candida species to antifungal drugs make identification to the species level important for clinical management. Newer molecular biological tests have generated interest but are not yet standardized or readily available in most clinical laboratory settings nor have they been validated in large clinical trials. Laboratory surveillance of at-risk patients could result in earlier initiation of antifungal therapy if sensitive and specific diagnostic tests, which are also cost effective, become available. This review will compare diagnostic tests currently in use as well as those under development by describing their assets and limitations for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.569-592
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• 2013

In Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie examines how Indians can survive successfully in contemporary America, overcoming the tragic history of colonialists' violence and the resultant traumata. For Alexie, both reassembling the parts of the colonialist history through remembrance and testifying its unjustness play important roles not only in the decolonization process which probes the remnants and the negative effects of the colonialism deeply rooted in the lives of Indians but in the procedure of healing the political, cultural, and religious traumata. However, it should be noted that the ultimate aim of Alexie's decolonization does not lie in erasing every trace of the colonialism but in transforming its legacy into a story of survivance. The recovery of the tribal voices and the preservation of Indian traditions, blood, and cultures are essential in the survivance of Indians. Yet, Alexie's tribalism should not be viewed as an exclusive one. He knows well that it is neither possible nor desirable to maintain an exclusive tribalism based on blind adherence to a mythic or "pure" past. Exclusive tribalism is a cause for alarm in the contemporary world, a dynamic place where diverse cultures consistently change through collision, exchange, and negotiation. In Reservation Blues, Alexie stresses a spiritual and cultural flexibility that makes the cultural interpenetration possible as a key element of the meaningful survivance of contemporary American Indians.