• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.343-348
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• 2005

Recently, siRNA has been emerging as new therapeutic agents for various diseases such as cancers and infectious diseases. However, the evaluation for delivery systems for siRNA has not been fully done. In this study, we designed and delivered siRNA of oncogenic E6 and E7 proteins to several cell lines and tested the delivery efficiencies of various cationic nonviral delivery vectors. Of cationic delivery systems tested in this study, lipid-based Lipofectamine revealed higher delivery efficiency of siRNA to cervical cancer cell line, SiHa, compared to other delivery systems. Notably, the polyethylenimine, which showed the comparable delivery efficiencies in plasmid DNA, did not show significant delivery of siRNA in cervical cancer cells. These results indicate that the mechanisms involved in siRNA delivery might be different from those in plasmid DNA delivery, and that cationic lipid-based delivery vehicles deliver siRNA with higher efficiency to intracellular target sites.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2006

Ticks cause economic losses to the deer industry by decreasing the growth and production of the farmed animals. The mediation of ticks affects humans and animals by causing contagious disease both directly and indirectly. Blood from farmed deer from the areas near Jangsu branch was collected for screening of infectious protozoa and rickettsial disease. Seventy deer blood samples were collected from 30 different deer farms located in Jinan, Jangsu and Muju. This blood samples were used for blood slide smear examination and hematological analysis. DNA from these samples was extracted and was used for PCR analysis for detection of gene fragments of Theileria spp, Babesia spp, Anaplasma spp and Ehrlichia spp. In the blood slide smear examination and PCR analysis all samples did not show presence of protozoal and rickettsial diseases. Eight blood samples showed anemia, 1 sample showed iron deficiency and 7 samples showed regenerative anemia. Results for PCR analysis showed 2 samples were positive for T orientalis. All DNA samples were negative for Babesia spp, Anaplasma spp, and Ehrlichia spp.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2006

Metronidazole is an antimicrobial drug widely used against various types of infectious agents, including protozoa, amoeba, Helicobacter pylori, and anaerobes. Metronidazole may produce some adverse effects on hematologic, immunologic, neurologic and other systems. We report a case of reversible metronidazole-induced encephalopathy. The toxic dose of metronidazole and the onset of encephalopathy were variable. Two patients showed abnormally high signal intensity in the bilateral dentate nucleus of cerebellum, and characteristic abnormalities were detected by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and T2-weighted images, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images and/or diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Discontinuation of metronidazole resulted in the improvement of the neurologic symptoms over a period of two to three weeks. We followed up the brain MRI with DWI in one case following obvious clinical improvement, and the previously detected lesion had disappeared.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 2000

Non-specific reaction has been a problem in doing, especially, research and diagnosis for infectious agents. Avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) techniques has widely been used to amplify a reaction. Photobacterium damse1a subsp. piscicdia (formerly Pasteurella piscicida) exhibited a capacity to bind with streptavidin non-specifically. The band, estimated 26 K Da in Western blotted paper, was blocked with biotin but incompletely. In an attempt to explore an involvement of the non-specific substance in attaching piscine cells, cell attachment test performed using anti- Ph. d. subsp piscicida sera raised mouse and rabbit exhibited slightly blocking effects for Mediterranean (1736) and significantly for Japanese (Sp 92144) isolate. Biotin decreased the attachment ability significantly for Sp92144 but it was not effective to 1736. Both isolates showed greatly enhanced attachment ability with poly-L-lysin. The non-specific binding substance was contained in bacterial extracellular products (ECPs). The substance was able to purified with 2-imminobiotin affinity column, the purified substance appeared to have 4 bands in silver staining, and had a carbohydrate branch. This purified substance showed cytotoxic effects selectively between 5 piscine cell lines. Moreover, it stimulated rainbow trout macrophage in terms of reduction of cytochrome cas well as yeast phagocytosis, significantly.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.261-268
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• 2012

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus are the most significant pathogens causing respiratory tract diseases. Composite vaccines are useful in reducing the number of vaccination and confer protection against multiple infectious agents. In this study, we generated fusion of RSV G protein core fragment (amino acid residues 131 to 230) and influenza HA1 globular head domain (amino acid residues 62 to 284) as a dual vaccine candidate. This fusion protein, Gcf-HA1, was bacterially expressed, purified by metal resin affinity chromatography, and refolded in PBS. BALB/c mice were intranasally immunized with Gcf-HA1 in combination with a mucosal adjuvant, cholera toxin (CT). Both serum IgG and mucosal IgA responses specific to Gcf and HA1 were significantly increased in Gcf-HA1/CT-vaccinated mice. To determine the protective efficacy of Gcf-HA1/CT vaccine, immunized mice were challenged with RSV (A2 strain) or influenza virus (A/PR/8/34). Neither detectable viral replication nor pathology was observed in the lungs of the immune mice. These results demonstrate that immunity induced by intranasal Gcf-HA1/CT immunization confers complete protection against both RSV and homologous influenza virus infection, suggesting our Gcf-HA1 vaccine candidate could be further developed as a dual subunit vaccine against RSV and influenza virus.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1081-1091
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• 2012

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) represent a heterogeneous group of clonal hematologic neoplasms characterized by morphologic dysplasia, aberrant hematopoiesis and peripheral blood refractory cytopenias. MDS is recognized to be associated with an increased risk of symptomatic anemia, infectious complications and bleeding diathesis, as well as a risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia, particularly in patients with a high IPSS score. The advent of use of hematopoietic growth factors such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) has improved symptoms in MDS patients in addition to some data that suggest there might be an improvement in survival. G-CSF is an effective therapeutic option in MDS patients, and it should be considered for the management of refractory symptomatic cytopenias. G-CSF and EPO in combination can improve outcomes in appropriate MDS patients such as those with lower-risk MDS and refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS). This article reviews use of growth factors for lower-risk MDS patients, and examines the data for G-CSF, EPO and thrombopietic growth factors (TPO) that are available or being developed as therapeutic modalities for this challenging disease.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1999

In order to find less toxic antiviral agents from basidiomycetes, EA, the water soluble substance, was prepared from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata (Pers.) Karst. EA was examined for antiviral activity against five strains of pathogenic viruses such as encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) Indiana and New Jersey strains, influenza A virus (Flu A), and varicella zoster virus (VZV) in vitro. Antiviral activity was evaluated by plaque reduction assay. Among five strains of viruses tested, EA exhibited the most potent antiviral activity against VSV Indiana strain with 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of 0.104 mg/ml in Vero cells, and its selectivity index (SI) was 36.5. EA was also examined for the virucidal activity, antiviral activity in preincubation on VSV Indiana strain in order to examine possible mode of antiviral activity. Preincubation of Vero cells with EA did not confer protection against VSV, however, prolonged exposure of cells to EA inhibited the replication of virus dose-dependently. In virucidal activity, the titer of infectious virus did not decrease significantly.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.60-65
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• 2009

Berberis is an important medicinal plant, of the family Berberidaceae. Different Berberis species and their parts are very common in herbal drug markets of India and world over as an adulterant/substitute to 'Daruharidra' i.e. B. aristata DC. Antimicrobial activity of 50% hydroalcoholic extracts of stem of four Berberis species viz. B. aristata DC., B. asiatica Roxb. ex DC., B. chitria Lindl. and B. lycium Royle and the isolated alkaloid berberine were tested against eleven bacterial and eight fungal strains. The extracts with the strongest antibacterial activity was obtained from B. lycium followed by B. aristata, B. asiatica and B. chitria. Based on these results it is possible to conclude that the hydroalcoholic extract and alkaloid (berberine) has stronger and broader spectrum against bacterial strains as compared to fungal strains. The result obtained in the present study authenticates and support the use of these plants in folklore medicine for treatment of various infectious diseases caused by the bacterial pathogens. However, an attempt has been made to explore the possibilities of utilizing stem part rather than roots of these species with the aim to conserve this species which is over exploited due to diverse use of its root. These findings will stimulate the search for novel, natural products as new antibacterial/antifungal agents which may be useful to pharmaceutical industries.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.276-282
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• 1998

Staphylococcal pneumonia caused by staphylococcus aureus can be characterized by its severity and rapid progress as a bacterial infection. The disease shows a high mortality in younger patients, especially in infants unless early and appropriate treatment is carried out. Treatment can be made of medical method alone but in cases of surgical interventions are needed, immediate surgical methods such as closed or open drainage of pleural fluid, lobectomy and decortication should be followed with combination of medical therapy. The choice of antibiotic should be made by proper antibiotic sensitivities tests. For a methicillin sensitive S. areus(MSSA), the penicillase resistant penicillin would be the first choice and for a methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the glycopeptides such as vancomycin would be the first one. Other drugs can also be used if the bacterial agents show any sensitivities to these drugs. Commonly, the chest roentgenographic findings reveal infiltrations, empyema, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, atelectasis or pneumatoceles in staphylococcal pneumonia and this fact easily can lead the physicians to its diagnosis as soon as possible. We experienced 5 cases of staphylococcal pneumonia in infants, proven by through bacterial cultures and report them with brief review of the related literatures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.29-29
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• 2003

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is among the most prevalent and important infectious agents associated with porcine respiratory disease complex. The airway dagame caused by M. hyopneumoniae adversely affect the pulmonary host defense mechanisms and may lead to secondary bacterial infections. Culture is considered to be the "gold standard" for diagnosis but this is a very slow and labor-intensive procedure. Isolation of M. hyopneumoniae is complicated by its fastidious nature and extremely slow growth. Thirty days of incubation may be necessary to detect the organism in primary broth cultures. The purposes of the study were (ⅰ) to develop nested PCR for the detection of M. hyopneumoniae for the detection of M. hyopneumoniae DNA in the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lung tissues from experimentally and naturally infected pigs and (ⅱ) to compare the utility of nested PCR with in situ hybridization. (omitted)