• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.82-91
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between antibiotic use and the antimicrobial resistance of gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood cultures in a pediatric population. Methods: From January 2014 to June 2018, the antibiotic resistance pattern of Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from bacteremic patients aged ≤18 years hospitalized at Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital was analyzed and the parenteral antibiotic consumption data were retrieved. Results: During the study period, the blood culture was positive for K. pneumoniae (6.4%; 105/1,628), E. coli (5.6%; 91/1,628), P. aeruginosa (3.3%; 54/1,628), and A. baumannii (2.5%; 41/1,628), and the extended-spectrum antibiotic resistance rate of gram-negative bacteria was consistently high. The overall resistance rate of E. coli and K. pneumoniae to extendedspectrum cephalosporin was 49.3% and 54.4%, respectively. Carbapenem-resistant E. coli was first detected in 2014; its overall resistance rate to carbapenem was 5.3%. There was a linear correlation between the usage of 3rd generation cephalosporin and the resistance of A. baumannii (r²=0.96, P=0.004) and carbapenem usage and the resistance of K. pneumoniae (r²=0.79, P=0.045). Conclusions: A positive linear correlation was observed between antibiotic resistance and the corresponding antibiotic usage in 3rd generation cephalosporin resistant A. baumannii and carbapenem resistant K. pneumoniae. The judicious use of antibiotics in healthcare settings is important to minimize selection for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenem resistance in gram-negative bacteria.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.644-663
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the safety of iodine intake based on ingestion levels and urinary iodine excretion of women of childbearing age (15-45 years old) using data from the 2013-2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: Iodine intake was calculated using the 24 hours dietary recall method and urinary iodine excretion. The iodine nutrition database for the analysis of dietary iodine intake was constructed using the food composition database of the Rural Development Administration (RDA), the Korean Nutrition Society (KNS), the Ministries of Food and Drug Safety, China and, Japan. The World Health Organization (WHO) evaluation criteria and hazard quotient (HQ) calculated using biomonitoring equivalents (BE) were applied to evaluate the safety of the iodine intake. Results: Of the study subjects, 15.22% had a urinary iodine concentration level of less than 100 ㎍/L, which was diagnosed as deficient, and 48.16% had an excessive iodine concentration of over 300 ㎍/L. Urinary iodine concentration was 878.71 ㎍/L, iodine/creatinine was 589.00 ㎍/g, and iodine/creatinine was significantly higher at the age of 30-45 years. The dietary iodine intake was 273.47 ㎍/day, and the iodine intake calculated from the urinary iodine excretion was 1,198.10 ㎍/day. Foods with a high contribution to iodine intake were vegetables, seafood, seaweed and processed foods. The HQ was 1.665 when the urinary iodine content was > 1,000 ㎍/L. Conclusion: The results of this study implicate that the urinary iodine concentration, rather than the dietary iodine intake, is more appropriate to evaluate the iodine status under the current situation that a comprehensive iodine database for Koreans has not been established.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.310-316
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• 2022

In this study, we compared the microbial reduction effects of drying, hot water, and microwave sterilization in scourers and dishcloths to suggest a most suitable sterilization method. Three scourer types (silver, copper, and mesh) were used, and three dishcloth types (silver, bamboo, and cotton) were used. Drying time dependent reduction in Escherichia coli was high in silver and copper scourers, but minimal bacterial reduction was obtained against Bacillus cereus in all scourers and dishcloths. In scourers, E. coli was not detected after ≥30 s of hot water sterilization at 77℃, and B. cereus was not detected after ≥60 s of hot water sterilization at 100℃. In dishcloths, E. coli was not detected after hot water sterilization at 77℃ for ≥30 s, but B. cereus was detected after hot water sterilization at 100℃ for ≥60 s. In scourers, E. coli was not detected after microwave sterilization at 700 W for 3 min, but B. cereus was detected. In dishcloths, E. coli was not detected after microwave sterilization with 700 W for ≥1 min, but B. cereus was detected in the cotton dishcloth even after sterilization for 3 min. In conclusion, the use of antimicrobial scourers (silver and copper) and dishcloths (silver and bamboo) are not sufficient to reduce the microbial contamination. The guideline provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety suggesting dishcloth sterilization via hot water at 100℃ for 30 s was also found to be insufficient. Based on our research, we suggest that the most effective methods of microbial management are submerging scourers in hot water at 100℃ for ≥1 min, and sterilizing dishcloths for ≥3 min using a 700 W microwave.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2022

In this research, the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiaging, and skin whitening properties of pulp and seed extracts of passion fruit were studied. The result of the primary skin irritation test using a skin-attached patch determined the skin irritation index to be 0.00 for the passion fruit extract. In addition, RAW 264.7 macrophages produce NO by stimulation of lipopolysaccharides, and the application of extracts to this resulted in significantly lower NOs, confirming the excellent anti-inflammatory properties of passion fruit extracts. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl test further confirmed that the passion fruit extract exhibits a good 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate radical scavenging ability of 5.11% and strong antioxidant properties. The presence of collagen type I in the skin is a measure of aging and various skin diseases. The results obtained from the analysis of the activity of human procollagen I alpha 1 confirmed that the passion fruit extract reduces the synthesis of procollagen. In addition, the skin whitening property of the passion fruit extract was confirmed by the melanin inhibition test, and a sample was obtained that contained more than 2% of arbutin, a whitening agent approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which is generally present in the form of a white powder and is used as a functional ingredient. This confirms that the whitening efficacy of the passion fruit extract obtained from nature contributes to the development of functional raw materials for cosmetics and food.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.567-574
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• 2022

Coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are known to share many risk factors. In particular, in the case of acute coronary syndrome, it may be difficult to clearly determine the diameter of the vessel due to complete occlusion of the vessel and thrombus. Thus, the relationship between the diameter of the coronary arteries was evaluated to be used as a reference data before the treatment of coronary arteries and drug selection in patients with AF. From January 2020 to August 2022, images of coronary angiography (CAG) with AF and normal sinus rhythm (NSR) on electrocardiography were target. In both subjects, images of normal coronary artery without lesions as a result of CAG were used. For all vessels, the diameters of the vessels were measured by dividing them into proximal, middle, and distal parts, and the measured diameters were divided by the average for evaluation. As a result of analyzing the left anterior descending artery diameter, the vessel diameter of the AF patient was 2.24±0.26 mm, which was smaller than that of the NSR patient, 2.86±0.38 mm, and was statistically significant. (p<0.001) As a result of analyzing the left circumflex artery diameter, the vessel diameter of the AF patient was 2.34±0.28 mm, which was smaller than the vessel diameter of the NSR patient, 2.87±0.29 mm, and was statistically significant. (p<0.001) As a result of analyzing the diameter of the right coronary artery, the vessel diameter of the AF patient was 2.68±0.5 mm, which was smaller than the vessel diameter of the NSR patient, 3.35±0.4 mm, and was statistically significant. (p<0.001) Considering that the coronary artery size of AF patients is significantly smaller than the coronary vessel size of NSR patients, it is considered as a useful study to be used as a reference for evaluating coronary artery diameter when the arrhythmia is AF. In particular, it is considered to be a study that can be helpful in diagnosing lesions, using drugs before and after surgery, and choosing to use auxiliary devices such as intravascular ultrasound.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.209-244
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• 2020

TMS and tDCS are non-invasive devices that treat the diseases of patients or individual users, and manage or improve their health by applying stimulation to a brain through magnetism and electricity. The effect and safety of these devices have proved to be valid in several diseases, but research in this area is still much going on. Despite increasing cases of their application, legislations directly regulating TMS and tDCS are hard to find. Legal regulation regarding TMS and tDCS in the United States, Germany and Japan reveals that while TMS has been approved as a medical device with a moderate risk, tDCS has not yet earned approval as a medical device. However, the recent FDA guidance, European MDR changes, recalls in the US, and relevant legal provisions of Germany and Japan, as well as recommendations from expert groups all show signs of tDCS growing closer to getting approved as a medical device. Of course, safety and efficacy of tDCS can still be regulated as a general product instead of as a medical device. Considering multiple potential impacts on a human brain, however, the need for independent regulation is urgent. South Korea also lacks legal provisions explicitly regulating TMS and tDCS, but they fall into the category of the grade 3 medical devices according to the notifications of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. And safety and efficacy of TMS are to be evaluated in compliance with the US FDA guidance. But no specific guidelines exist for tDCS yet. Given that tDCS devices are used in some hospitals in reality, and also at home by individual buyers, such a regulatory gap must quickly be addressed. In a longer term, legal system needs to be in place capable of independently regulating non-invasive brain stimulating devices.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare bleeding tendency of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) using platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) in patients with major depressive disorder. Methods : This study is a prospective open-label study conducted by a single institution. A total of 41 subjects diagnosed with major depressive disorder under the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria participated in this study. The subjects were classified into SSRI (escitalopram) groups and SNRI (duloxetine) groups, respectively, according to random assignments. The closure time (CT) was measured using a platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) before each antidepressant was administered and after 6 weeks. Paired-sample t-test was conducted within each group to determine whether a specific antidepressant had an effect on closure time. In order to confirm the relative change in platelet function between the two groups, an independent sample t-test was conducted to compare and analyze the change in closure time between the two groups. Results : There was no significant changes in closure time (CEPI-CT, CADP-CT) before and 6 weeks after drug administration in the SSRI and SNRI groups, and there was no difference in the amount of changes in closure time between the two groups. Conclusions : Our results showed no difference in bleeding tendency between SSRI and SNRI. This study suggests that further large-scale studies on bleeding tendency for various antidepressants are needed in the future.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.400-410
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• 2022

This study was performed to analyze the microbial contamination levels of three non-heated rice cake manufacturers in terms of seasonal manufacturing process and to investigate the effects of summertime soaking on contamination levels and temperature-controlled soaking in water on reduction in microbial levels. The total aerobic bacteria (TAB) ranged from 2.69 log CFU/g to 5.08 log CFU/g in the produce, but the microbial contamination increased sharply during soaking. The levels of TAB and coliforms during summer soaking were 7.01 and 3.96 log CFU/g, respectively, and this was significantly higher than those in other seasons. The contamination level was high in the subsequent freezing, with the TAB level (6.24 log CFU/g) exceeding the legal standard. The temperature of soaking water in summer increased from 19.1℃ to 26.8℃ after 12 h of soaking. The microbial contamination was significantly high commensurate with increased soaking time, and the TAB level in the frozen process exceeded the legal standard from 9 h of soaking. The use of ice packs to prevent the increase in temperature of the soaking water in summer resulted in maintenance of temperature at 20.1℃ for up to 12 h. The average TAB value in the freezing process was 4.42 log CFU/g after 12 h of soaking, and this is 1.77 log CFU/g lower than that before. Based on these results, it was determined that controlling the soaking time and water temperature are essential for the production of a safe unheated frozen rice cake. The safety of the HACCP system could be established by applying these preventive management standards.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.919-928
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• 2022

As seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpected emergence of new viruses presents serious concern on public health. Especially, the absence of effective vaccines or antiviral drugs against emerging viruses significantly increases the severity of disease and duration of viral circulation among population. Natural products have served as a major source for safe and effective antiviral drugs. In this study, we examined the virucidal activity of medical herb extracts with a view to discover novel antiviral agents with desired levels of safety and antiviral efficacy. Ethanol extracts of ten selected medical herbs were tested for antioxidant activity and in-vitro cytotoxicity in various animal cell lines. Of note, the herbal extracts showed broad and potent virucidal activities against rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, and influenza A virus. The extracts of Sorbus commixta and Glycyrrhiza uralensis showed strong virucidal activities against influenza A virus. We also examined whether the extracts of Sorbus commixta and Glycyrrhiza uralensis can be used as inactivating agents to prepare an inactivated viral vaccine. In a mouse model, influenza A virus inactivated by the extracts elicited high levels of neutralizing antibodies, and the vaccination provided complete protection against lethal challenge. These results suggest that herb-derived natural products can be developed to antiviral drugs as well as inactivating agents for preparation of inactivated viral vaccines.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.108-118
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• 2022

The subventricular zone (SVZ) in the brain contains neural stem cells (NSCs) that generate new neurons throughout one's lifetime. Many extracellular and intracellular factors that affect cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NSCs are already well-known. Recently, L-type calcium channels have been reported to regulate neural development and are present in NSCs, differentiating neuroblasts, and mature neurons in the SVZ. Nifedipine, a blocker of L-type calcium channels, has been long used as a therapeutic drug for hypertension. However, studies on the use of nifedipine to inhibit L-type calcium channels of NSCs are lacking. Herein, we treated NSCs cultured from mouse postnatal SVZ with nifedipine during neuronal differentiation. Nifedipine increased the number of Tuj1-positive neurons but did not significantly change the number of Olig2-positive oligodendrocytes. Nifedipine increased cell division during early differentiation, which was detected using the 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation assay and immunocytochemistry assessment by staining the cells with phosphorylated histone H3, a mitosis marker. Nifedipine increased the transcription of Dlx2, a neurogenic transcription factor, and the level of Mash1, a marker for early neurogenesis. In addition to nifedipine, verapamil, which is also an L-type calcium channel blocker, showed a slight increase in neurogenesis, but its statistical significance was very low. In contrast, pimozide, a T-type calcium channel blocker, did not affect neurogenesis, although T-type calcium channel genes Cav3.1, Cav3.2, and Cav3.3 were expressed. In summary, nifedipine might promote the neuronal fate of NSCs during early differentiation and calcium signaling through L-type calcium channels might be involved in neuronal differentiation, especially during the early stages of differentiation.