• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.903-913
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• 2011

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which causes gastroenteritis, wound infection, and septicemia, has two sets of type III secretion systems (TTSS), TTSS1 and TTSS2. A TTSS1-deficient vcrD1 mutant of V. parahaemolyticus showed an attenuated cytotoxicity against HEp-2 cells, and a significant reduction in mouse lethality, which were both restored by complementation with the intact vcrD1 gene. V. parahaemolyticus also triggered phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) including p38 and ERK1/2 in HEp-2 cells. The ability to activate p38 and ERK1/2 was significantly affected in a TTSS1-deficient vcrD1 mutant. Experiments using MAPK inhibitors showed that p38 and ERK1/2 MAPKs are involved in V. parahaemolyticus-induced death of HEp-2 cells. In addition, caspase-3 and caspase-9 were processed into active forms in V. parahaemolyticus-exposed HEp-2 cells, but activation of caspases was not essential for V. parahaemolyticus-induced death of HEp-2 cells, as shown by both annexin V staining and lactate dehydrogenase release assays. We conclude that secreted protein(s) of TTSS1 play an important role in activation of p38 and ERK1/2 in HEp-2 cells that eventually leads to cell death via a caspase-independent mechanism.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1257-1260
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• 2007

E. histolytica has a simple life cycle with two stages: an infective cyst and an invasive trophozoite. It lives on humans as its host. Its infection occurs through the ingestion of the cyst form, and the disease begins when the trophozoite, converted at the small intestine, adheres to colonic epithelial cells with a latent period of two days to four months. In some instances, amoebic abscess formations can occur at the liver, lung, brain, or spleen via the lymphoid system. Rare cases of amoebiasis in neonates have been reported, much less any intrauterine infections in the world that may have occurred during the gestation period. We've recently experienced a case of neonatal amoebiasis that entailed after-birth vomiting and bloody stool. The infant seemed pre-infected with E. histolytica before birth.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 1991

The present study was undertaken in an effort to investigate the effects of alcohol on survival of mice and on their humoral and cellular immune responses, The immune responses examined were Arthus and delayed-type hyperrsnesitivity(DTH) reactions to sheep red blood cells(SRBC), contact hypersensitivity to dinitrofluorobenzend(DNFB), antibody response to thymus - dependent SRBC and to thymus -independent polyvinylpyroridone(PVP), and the recovery of Crytococcus neoformans from the liver, spleen, kidney and brain of experimentally infected mice. The administration of ethanol concentrations of 20% or less did not cause any change in survival rates as compared withs saline injected control group. In general, ethanol administration inhibited the Arthus and DTH reactions to SRBC, contact hypersensitivity to DNFB, and antibody response to both SRBC and PVP and it also decreased the resistance of mice to C. neoformans infection. Taken together, the present study stongly suggested that ethanol inhibits immune response and decrease the resistance of mice to C. neoformans infection.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.470-472
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• 2010

Subdural empyema of the brain is an uncommon disorder that occurs more frequently in children than in adult. Authors report a very rare of subdural empyema following the subdural hygroma after mild head injury. The exact mechanism of infection is not known. However, we have to consider subdural infection as one of differential diagnosis in elderly patient with subdural hygroma when new abnormal density lesion is developed in the subdural space.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.192-197
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• 2004

A 9-year-old boy who was confirmed measles by clinical manifestations and serum measles IgM antibody presented with bilateral visual loss 12 days after the onset of maculopapular rash. Complete ophthalmic and neurologic examinations, radiologic studies, and lumbar puncture were performed. Visual acuities were counting fingers in both eyes, with mild bilateral optic disk hyperemia and swelling noted. Neurologic examination was unremarkable, however, a magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed high signals on basal ganglia, and periventricular white matter. The cerebrospinal fluid was devoid of white cells. Intravenous methylprednisolone and high dose immunoglobulins were administered, and clinical findings resolved completely within 6 months.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.4
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• pp.298-302
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• 2010

Scedosporium apiospermum, the anamorph of Pseudallescheria boydii, is a ubiquitous saprophytic fungus. S. apiospermum can cause life-threatening infections usually in immunocompromised patients or after near-drowning incidents. Here, we report the first case of disseminated infection caused by S. apiospermum after near-drowning in Korea. A 44-year-old healthy man developed aspiration pneumonia, followed by multiple brain abscesses, and endopthalmitis, after a near-drowning incident in a septic tank. S. apiospermum infection was diagnosed on the 33rd day after the incident had occurred. The patient died from the progressive renal failure 255 days after incident, although he had been treated with voriconazole.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.882-889
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• 2002

Hantaan vims production, using human immortalized retina cell (PER. C6), was investigated to develop an inactivated virus vaccine. To infect Hantaan virus into PER. C6, two infection methods (medium-to-cell and cell-to-cell) were tried, and IFA results showed that the cell-to-cell infection method was very useful for producing Hantaan virus-infected PER, C6. Hantaan virus production was significantly affected by the growth rate of PER. C6 and the content of FBS in medium. Higher specific growth rate of infected PER. C6 and lower FBS content induced higher production of Hantaan virus. The inactivated human cell-culture vaccines with various EIA titers were prepared, their antibody responses were compared with those of inactivated suckling mouse brain vaccines ($Hantavax^처리불가$). and the result showed their immunogenicities were slightly higher than those of inactivated suckling mouse vaccines. Therefore, this study shows the possibility of the development of Hantaan virus vaccine from a human cell culture.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.353-357
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• 1997

The possibility of the allergic encephalomyelitis caused by the combined vaccine (KGCC95VI) for the prophylaxis against Japanese encephalitis and Hantaan virus infection, recently developed by Korea Green Cross Corporation, was investigated in the Hartley guinea pigs. The KGCC-95VI was administered to the guinea pigs subcutaneously to sensitize the animals three times at one month intervals. There were no clinical signs or gross pathological findings. There were no abnormal histopathological findings at cerebrums, cerebellums, brain stems and the spinal cords. The concentration of myelin basic protein was 1.10 ng/dose quantified by ELISA, which met the guide4ine of below 2 ng/ml/dose recommended by American Society of Health -System Pharmacists(AHPS) Drug Information. Accordingly, the KGCC-95VI is considered not to induce any allergic immune responses which may lead to the experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2014

In November 2012, a 4-month-old foal with anorexia, neurologic signs with ataxia and death was submitted for necropsy to the diagnostic laboratory of Jeju Self-Governing Provincial Veterinary Research Institute. Grossly, yellowish-white fibrinous materials were seen on the ventral cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata and cervical spinal cord of the foal. Histologically, severe fibrino-purulent meningitis characterized by the infiltration of neutrophils and fibrionous exudates with bacterial colonies were presented in cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem and cervical spinal cord. In the bacterial isolation using meningeal exudate, the small white colonies on blood agar plate with ${\beta}$-hemolysis were observed. Isolated bacteria were Gram-positive cocci and confirmed as Streptococcus (S.) equi subsp. zooepidemicus by VITEK 2 system. Based on the histopathological features and the bacterial test, this case was diagnosed as meningitis associated with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infection in a foal. In our best knowledge, this is the first report for fibrino-purulent meningitis caused by S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infection in Jeju.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.713-720
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• 2019

Acanthamoeba castellanii belonging to the T4 genotype may cause a fatal brain infection known as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and the vision-threatening eye infection Acanthamoeba keratitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiamoebic effects of three clinically available antidiabetic drugs, Glimepiride, Vildagliptin and Repaglinide, against A. castellanii belonging to the T4 genotype. Furthermore, we attempted to conjugate these drugs with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to enhance their antiamoebic effects. Amoebicidal, encystation, excystation, and host cell cytotoxicity assays were performed to unravel any antiacanthamoebic effects. Vildagliptin conjugated silver nanoparticles (Vgt-AgNPs) characterized by spectroscopic techniques and atomic force microscopy were synthesized. All three drugs showed antiamoebic effects against A. castellanii and significantly blocked the encystation. These drugs also showed significant cysticidal effects and reduced host cell cytotoxicity caused by A. castellanii. Moreover, Vildagliptin-coated silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and are shown to enhance its antiacanthamoebic potency at significantly reduced concentration. The repurposed application of the tested antidiabetic drugs and their nanoparticles against free-living amoeba such as Acanthamoeba castellanii described here is a novel outcome that holds tremendous potential for future applications against devastating infection.