• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.55-57
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• 2014

Paratuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) has extended latent periods of infection. Due to this property, difficulties in the detection of fecal shedder have been raised. A newly designed method for DNA extraction from fecal specimens, mGITC/SC was evaluated in terms of diagnostic efficiency. The detection limit of IS900 real-time PCR was about 50 MAP (1.5 cfu) in 250 mg of feces (6 cfu per g). Also, this DNA extraction method was faster and cheaper than that using commercial kit or other methods. Consequently, the mGITC/SC is an economical DNA extraction method that could be a useful tool for detecting MAP from fecal specimens.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.365-374
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• 2005

To find potential targets of novel antimicrobial agents, we identified essential genes of Streptococcus pneumoniae using comparative genomics and allelic replacement mutagenesis. We compared the genome of S. pneumoniae R6 with those of Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, and selected 693 candidate target genes with > 40% amino acid sequence identity to the corresponding genes in at least two of the other species. The 693 genes were disrupted and 133 were found to be essential for growth. Of these, 32 encoded proteins of unknown function, and we were able to identify orthologues of 22 of these genes by genomic comparisons. The experimental method used in this study is easy to perform, rapid and efficient for identifying essential genes of bacterial pathogens.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1030-1036
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• 2018

Bacillus strains produce various types of antibiotics, and random mutagenesis has traditionally been used to overproduce these natural metabolites. However, this method leads to the accumulation of unwanted mutations in the genome. Here, we rationally designed a single nucleotide substitution in the degU gene to generate a B. subtilis strain displaying increased plipastatin production in a foreign DNA-free manner. The mutant strain (BS1028u) showed improved antifungal activity against Pythium ultimum. Notably, pps operon deletion in BS1028u resulted in complete loss of antifungal activity, suggesting that the antifungal activity strongly depends on the expression of the pps operon. Quantitative real-time PCR and lacZ assays showed that the point mutation resulted in 2-fold increased pps operon expression, which caused the increase in antifungal activity. Likewise, commercial Bacillus strains can be improved to display higher antifungal activity by rationally designed simple modifications of their genome, rendering them more efficient biocontrol agents.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.80-83
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• 2012

Purpose: In rare cases, infectious disease can become the cause of palatal fistula as it usually occurs in immunocompromised patients. We are reporting this case because we have successfully reconstructed palatal fistula occurring due to infectious disease in a healthy adult. Methods: A 62-year-old female patient had visited our hospital with a palatal hole that had occurred after suffering from a severe febrile disease. An oro-nasal fistula measuring $1.5{\times}1.3cm$ has been observed in the junction of the soft palate and hard palate, and is presumed to be caused by an infectious disease according to the patient's history. It was reconstructed using a hinge flap and a mucoperiosteal flap. Results: For 6 months, no recurrence or complications had been observed. The post operative patient was satisfied with the improvement in nasal speech and fluid regurgitation. Conclusion: We reported this case since we had obtained a functionally satisfactory result by reconstructing the palatal fistula due to infectious disease in a healthy adult.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.82-88
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• 2006

The global pattern of growth-dependent gene expression in Streptococcus pneumoniae strains was evaluated using a high-density DNA microarray. Total RNAs obtained from an avirulent S. pneumoniae strain R6 and a virulent strain AMC96-6 were used to compare the expression patterns at seven time points (2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, and 8.0 h). The expression profile of strain R6 changed between log and stationary growth (the Log-Stat switch). There were clear differences between the growth-dependent gene expression profiles of the virulent and avirulent pneumococcal strains in 367 of 1,112 genes. Transcripts of genes associated with bacterial competence and capsular polysaccharide formation, as well as clpP and cbpA, were higher in the virulent strain. Our data suggest that late log or early stationary phase may be the most virulent phase of S. pneumoniae.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.91-101
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to explore the effects of government's value intervention messages on the prevention and control of infectious disease in the risk communication process in terms of goveremnt policy response to COVID-19 from the mismatch message perspective, and draws the relevant implicaitons. Due to the infeciton spread, some people point out that depression caused by COVID-19 is because of wrong signals of the government and infectious disease prevention and control authorities, namely value intervention messsages. Research design, data and methodology: This study examined the epidcmic situation through message deails regarding the effects of government's mismatch messages on prevention and control of infectious disease and the resulting phenomena. Results: People's lives are under serious threat overall, so the declaration of the end of COVID-19 is almost impossible unlike MERS. Economic downturn due to foreced prevention and control regulaitons of COVID-19, mistruct of social distancing, fatigue on mismatch messages, and moral hazard on the awareness of prevention and control of infectious disease are negative phenomena to risk communiaiton on COVID-19. Conclusions: This study investigated the government authorities' policy sending wrong signals due to mismatching of the reality at this point in time for infectious disease prevention and control from the risk communicaiton perspectrive.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.249-256
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• 2019

Steroids are commonly used in patients with eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis infections. The mechanism steroids act on eosinophilic meningitis remains unclear. In this mouse experiments, expressions of 14-3-3 isoform ${\beta}$ and ${\gamma}$ proteins significantly increased in the CSF 2-3 weeks after the infection, but not increasedin the dexamethasone-treated group. Expression of 14-3-3 ${\beta}$, ${\gamma}$, ${\varepsilon}$, and ${\theta}$ isoforms increased in brain meninges over the 3-week period after infection and decreased due to dexamethasone treatment. In conclusion, administration of dexamethasone in mice with eosinophilic meningitis decreased expressions of 14-3-3 isoform proteins in the CSF and in brain meninges.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to verify the effects of nurses' COVID-19 related stress, hardiness, and organizational citizenship behavior on nursing intention in infectious disease hospitals. Methods: The participants were 182 nurses. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple stepwise regression analysis with the SPSS program. Results: The nursing intention of nurses differed significantly by age (p=.013), marital status (p=.002), clinical career (p=.018), job position (p=.005), and experience of education for infectious disease management (p=.016). A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between nursing intention and COVID-19 related stress(r=.18), and between nursing intention and organizational citizenship behavior(r=.43). COVID-19 related stress, and organizational citizenship behavior explained 21% of the nursing intention. Conclusion: Based on the above results, improve the nursing intention of infectious disease hospital nurses exposed to risk, and it is necessary to manage inadequate stress of infectious diseases and cultivate organizational citizenship behavior.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.19.1-19.10
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• 2020

Given that the current Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection in wild birds poses the threat to poultry, surveillance of Newcastle disease in captive wild birds was carried out in Jilin, China in 2018. Here, an NDV strain obtained from toco toucan was firstly characterized. The results showed that the F gene of the NDV isolate Toucan/China/3/2018 is classified as genotype II in class II. Sequence analysis of the F0 cleavage site was ¹¹³RQGR/L¹¹⁷, which supports the result of the intracerebral pathogenicity index assay indicating classification of the isolate as low-pathogenicity. Experimental infection demonstrated that Toucan/China/3/2018 can effectively replicate and transmit among chickens. To our knowledge, this is the first report on genetically and pathogenically characterizing NDV strain isolated from toucan, which enriches the epidemiological information of NDV in wild birds.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.380-388
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• 2022

Background: Emerging infectious diseases, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome or coronavirus disease 2019, pose a continuous threat to public health, making a risk assessment necessary for infectious disease control and prevention. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the risk assessment methods for infectious diseases used by major foreign countries and organizations. Methods: We conducted an investigation and comparative analysis of risk assessment and risk determination methods for infectious diseases. The risk assessment tools included the strategic toolkit for assessing risks, influenza risk assessment tool, pandemic severity assessment framework, and rapid risk assessment methodology. Results: The most frequently reported risk elements were disease severity, antiviral treatment, attack rate, population immunity, and basic productive ratio. The risk evaluation method was evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively by the stakeholders at each institution. Additionally, the final risk level was visualized in a matrix, framework, and x and y-axis. Conclusion: Considering the risk assessment tools, the risk element was classified based on the duplicate of each indicator, and risk evaluation and level of risk assessment were analyzed.