• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.251-259
• /
• 2005

Atopy is a highly prevalent and serious health problem. The prevalence and severity of asthma and allergic diseases have increased over recent decades, particularly in industrialized nations. Early life infections may protect against the development of atopy and allergic diseases like asthma. The inverse relationship between the incidence of atopy and childhood infections has led to the 'hygiene hypothesis', which suggests that diminished exposure to childhood infections in modern society has led to decreased Th1-type responses. Th1 and Th2 responses are counter-regulatory. Reduced Th1 may lead to enhanced Th2-type inflammation, which is important in promoting asthma and allergic disease via up-regulation of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. It is now widely accepted that altered regulation of Th2 responses(and possibly the balance between Th1 and Th2 responses) is an important factor in the development of atopy. CpG DNA represent a novel class of drugs with substantial immunomodulatory properties. CpG DNA contain unmethylated motifs centered on the CpG dinucleotides, like bacterial DNA. These CpG DNA promote Th1 and regulatory type immune responses and suppress Th2 responses. In murine studies, CpG DNA are effective in prevention and treatment of asthma and allergic diseases. CpG DNA are just beginning to be tested in human asthma. While its precise mechanisms continue to be fully studied, CpG DNA offers considerable promise as a novel treatment for atopic inflammation. It may prove to be an important disease modifying therapy, or even curative therapeutic agent for asthma and allergic diseases.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.7 no.12
• /
• pp.115-121
• /
• 2020

This study aims to investigate the effects of restrictions in economic activity on the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines. This research employs daily time-series data of confirmed new COVID-19 cases, Apple mobility trends (i.e., use of public transport to destinations, volume of people driving, and amount of walking to destinations) and Google community mobility (i.e., visits to transit stations, visits to workplaces, and staying-at-home) indicators covering the period February 17 to September 11, 2020. The analysis starts by establishing the correlation pattern of new confirmed COVID-19 daily infections to each independent variable. The results show negative linear correlation of the number of new COVID-19 daily infections with less visit to transit station, increase stay-at-home, less use of public transport, and less amount of walking to destinations. Interestingly, the number of new COVID-19 daily infections indicates some form of positive linear correlation with visits to workplaces and volume of people driving. Moreover, employing robust least square regression via the method of MM-estimation, major findings reveal that across mobility measures, staying-at-home has the highest impact on reducing the spread of COVID-19, followed by visiting transit stations less, less use of public transport, less amount of walking, and less workplace visits.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.12-16
• /
• 1985

Attempts were made to evaluate the efficacy of three fluorochromes, i.e., DAPI (4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylin-dole-2HCl), aniline blue and quinacrine(quinacrine mustard dihydrochloride) for the detection of mycoplasma infections in jujube (Zizyphus jujuba), mulberry (Mows alba) trees and periwinckle (Catharanthus roseus) plant by fluorescence microscopy. Stem sections from these plants infected with mycoplasma-like organisms (MLO) produced distinct fluorescence in the phloem when stained with DAPI, aniline blue or quinacrine, while fluorescence was absent in the healthy plants. The use of these fluorochromes provided simple and efficient techniques for the diagnosis of MLO infections. IOf the three fluorochromes tested, DAPI was found to be most efficient.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.152-157
• /
• 1998

Disturbances of the interrelationship among the host, environment, microorganism will cause the infection clinically. Infection can be classified into bacterial, viral, fungal origin, Bacterial infection is most common due to dental caries, periodontal disease. These infections have the potential to spread via the fascial spaces in the head and neck region. We have undertaken clinical studies on infections in the oral and maxillofacial regions by analyzing 78 hospitalized patients in the Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital from 1994 to 1997. The results were as fellows; l. Odontogenic infections were most common with the incidence of 84.6%. 2. Considering the number of involved space, single space was 83.3%, double or more space was 16.6%. The most common fascial space involved was submandibular space and followed by buccal space, 3. The most causative organism isolated from the pus cultures was streptococci group 35.4%. 4. Antibiotics were administrated in all cases, and surgical incision and drainage was performed in 87.2%. 5. Combined administration of penicillin and aminoglycoside was most common in 34.6%.. 6. 7 cases were diagnosed as Ludwig's angina and tracheostomy was done in 2 cases of them.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.77 no.4
• /
• pp.172-177
• /
• 2014

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is particularly associated with progressive and ultimately chronic recurrent respiratory infections in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, chronic destroyed lung disease, and cystic fibrosis. Its treatment is also very complex because of drug resistance and recurrence. Methods: Forty eight cultures from 18 patients with recurrent P. aeruginosa pneumonia from 1998 to 2002 were included in this study. Two or more pairs of sputum cultures were performed during 2 or more different periods of recurrences. The comparison of strains was made according to the phenotypic patterns of antibiotic resistance and chromosomal fingerprinting by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using the genomic DNA of P. aeruginosa from the sputum culture. Results: Phenotypic patterns of antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa were not correlated with their prior antibiotic exposition. Fifteen of 18 patients (83.3%) had recurrent P. aeruginosa pneumonia caused by the strains with same PFGE pattern. Conclusion: These data suggest that the most of the recurrent P. aeruginosa infections in chronic lung disease occurred due to the relapse of prior infections. Further investigations should be performed for assessing the molecular mechanisms of the persistent colonization and for determining how to eradicate clonal persistence of P. aeruginosa.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2004

Microbial infection provokes one of the most serious complications to the patients with indwelling catheters. Ciprofloxacin (CFX) was added into the catheter materials (polyurethane or silicone) during the manufacturing process to avoid the microbial infection. Efficacy of the catheters containing CFX was investigated by using the in vitro zone of growth inhibition test method. The catheters made of polyurethane or silicone exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity against the major catheter-related microorganisms (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and E. coli), when CFX was incorporated into the catheters. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) did not affected antimicrobial activities of the polyurethane catheters with CFX loading of 0.5 and 1.0％ (W/W) against S. aureus and S. epidermidis. However, the polyurethane catheters with 1.0％ (W/W) of CFX loading showed a significantly (P<0.05) reduced antimicrobial activity against E. coli when the catheters were exposed to FBS. Silicone catheters with 1.0 and 1.5％ (W/W) of CFX loading demonstrated effective antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis for at least 2 weeks. These results suggest that the use of catheters containing ciprofloxacin could be effective in preventing catheter-related infections.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.407-415
• /
• 2014

Viral diseases have been a major limiting factor threating sustainable potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in Pakistan. Surveys were conducted to serologically quantify the incidence of RNA viruses infecting potato; Potato virus X (PVX), Potato virus Y (PVY), Potato virus S (PVS), Potato virus A (PVA), Potato virus M (PVM) and Potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) in two major potato cultivars (Desiree and Cardinal). The results suggest the prevalence of multiple viruses in all surveyed areas with PVY, PVS and PVX dominantly widespread with infection levels of up to 50% in some regions. Co-infections were detected with the highest incidence (15.5%) for PVX and PVS. Additionally the data showed a positive correlation between co-infecting viruses with significant increase in absorbance value (virus titre) for at least one of the virus in an infected plant and suggested a synergistic interaction. To test this hypothesis, glasshouse grown potato plants were challenged with multiple viruses and analyzed for systemic infections and symptomology studies. The results obtained conclude that multiple viral infections dramatically increase disease epidemics as compared to single infection and an effective resistance strategy in targeting multiple RNA viruses is required to save potato crop.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.521-525
• /
• 2014

Human infections with Lophomonas blattarum are rare. However, the majority of the infections occurred in China, 94.4% (136 cases) of all cases in the world. This infection is difficult to differentiate from other pulmonary infections with similar symptoms. Here we reported a case of L. blattarum infection confirmed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid smear on the microscopic observations. The patient was a 21-year-old female college student. The previous case which occurred in Chongqing was 20 years ago. We briefly reviewed on this infection reported in the world during the recent 20 years. The epidemiological characteristics, possible diagnostic basis, and treatment of this disease is discussed in order to provide a better understanding of recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of L. blattarum infection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.303-308
• /
• 2007

The high mortality (65.5%) of young olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) showing skin ulcers occurred in fish obtained from a commercial cultured farm at Donghae on the eastern coast of Korea at March 2006. The dorsal skin showed ulcer lesions and large amount of mucus. We isolated Ichthyobodo sp. from the gill, and Vibrio anguillarum from the liver and kidney of dead and diseased fish. All of the fish infected with the V anguillarum and Ichthyobodo sp. were treated with 100 ppm formalin for 1 h, and treated with oxolinic acid for 4 h at $22^{\circ}C$, respectively. The formalin treated group was observed the low mortality (2.9%) when compared with high mortality of non-treated (82.9%), and of antibiotic treated group (85.9%) against mixed infections by Vibrio anguillarum and Ichthyobodo sp. organisms. We confirmed complete elimination against mixed infections of Vibrio anguillarum and Ichthyobodo sp. with 100 ppm formalin treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.10
• /
• pp.1042-1046
• /
• 2008

The fluoroquinolones are an important group of antibiotics widely used in the treatment of various infectious diseases in adults, as a result of an excellent spectrum of activity, good tissue penetration and convenient ways of administration. In recent decades, there has been extensive development, clinical investigation, licensure and use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. However, the use of fluoroquinolones in children has been limited because of their potential to induce arthropathy in juvenile animals. Despite class label warnings against use in children, prescriptions for quinolone antibiotics to treat infections in children have become increasingly prevalent. The main use of fluoroquinolones in pediatrics should be, understandably, in serious life-threatening infections for which other antibiotics therapies are not effective or available. While most of the published studies failed to detect an increased rate of articular adverse effects in children treated with fluoroquinolones, an increase in the use of these compounds, particularly in community-acquired lower respiratory infections, could accelerate the emergence of multidrug-resistant (including fluoroquinolone) pneumococcal strains. This review will discus the main issues related to the use of fluoroquinolones in children, the major problems of resistance developing among these compounds, with special emphasis on the potential side effects and skilled use of these alternative potent drugs in pediatric infection.