• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.179-191
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• 2022

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) poses an increasing public health threat and has limited treatment options with high associated mortality. Genotypes of carbapenemase that threaten public health (bla_KPC, bla_NDM, bla_IMP, and bla_VIM) and bla_OXA-48-like genes were detected by phenotypic and molecular diagnosis, and related gene distribution patterns were investigated. Phenotypic testing using the modified Hodge test confirmed positivity in all 41 strains examined, and carbapenemase inhibitory testing using meropenem+phenyl boronic acid or meropenem+EDTA confirmed positivity in 18 and 8 strains, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of amplification products in 28 strains of bla_KPC, 25 strains of bla_NDM, 5 strains of bla_IMP, 1 strain of bla_VIM, and 13 bla_OXA-48-like strains. In addition, 7 strains of bla_KPC+bla_NDM, 1 strain of bla_KPC+bla_IMP, 1 strain of bla_NDM+bla_OXA-48-like, 1 strain of bla_NDM+bla_VIM, 4 strains of bla_KPC+bla_NDM+bla_IMP, and 4 strains of bla_KPC+bla_NDM+bla_OXA-48-like were identified. Melting curve analysis using real-time PCR was wholly consistent with PCR results. The study shows genetic identification of highly specific CRE by real-time PCR could be used to provide early diagnoses and infection control, improve surveillance, and prevent the transmission of CRE.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2022

The emergence and dissemination of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE), particularly the Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-2 (KPC-2) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, has been rapidly increasing worldwide and is becoming a serious public health threat. Since the epidemiology and characteristics of these KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae vary according to the region and period under consideration, this study investigated the prevalence of carbapenemases and the epidemiological relationship of 78 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) isolated from a tertiary hospital in Daejeon, from March 2017 to December 2020. The antimicrobial susceptibility tests were identified using the disk-diffusion method. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to determine the carbapenemase genes. In addition, molecular epidemiology was performed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Among the 78 CRKP isolates, 35 isolates (44.9%) were carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CPKP) and the major carbapenemase type was KPC-2 (30 isolates, 85.7%). The New Delhi metallo-enzyme-1 (NDM-1) and NDM-5 were identified in 4 isolates (11.4%) and 1 isolate (2.9%), respectively. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis showed 10 sequence types (STs) and the most prevalent ST was ST307 (51.4%, 18/35). All the ST307 isolates were KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae and were multidrug-resistant (MDR). In addition, ST307 has gradually emerged during a four-year period. These findings indicate that continuous monitoring and proper infection control are needed to prevent the spread of KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae ST307.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.207-229
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• 1992

우리 은하계내 field RR Lyrae 변광성의 관측자료(GCVS 4th ed. )의 특성과 이들의 공간분포 및 증원소함량 분포를 조사하였다 이들의 공간분포에서 scale height 가 H = 0.6 kpc 인 원반(thick)형과 H = 2.2 kpc 인 헬로형의 두 성분으로 나타난다. 그리고 증원소함량의 은하중심거리와 은하정면거리에 따른 변화율은 각각 d[Fe/H]/dr = $-0.013\;{\sim}\;-0.020\;/kpc$ ($r\;{\le}\;20\;kpc$), d[Fe/H]/d|Z| = -0.034 /kpc ($|Z|\;{\le}\;10\;kpc$) 이다. 이러한 공간분포와 증원소함량의 기울기 변화는 구상성단의 경우와 비슷하게 이증진화모형을 나타낸다. 그러나 증원소함랑의 빈도분포로 보아 field RR Lyrae 변광성이 모두 구상성단에서 기원되었다고 보기는 어렵다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.974-981
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• 2020

Sequence type 410 (ST410) of Escherichia coli is an extraintestinal pathogen associated with multi drug resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the horizontal propagation pathway of a high-risk clone of E. coli ST410 that produces Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC). blaKPC-encoding E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated, and complete sequencing and comparative analysis of blaKPC-encoding plasmids from E. coli and K. pneumoniae, antimicrobial susceptibility tests, polymerase chain reaction, multilocus sequence typing, and conjugal transfer of plasmids were performed. Whole-genome sequencing was performed for plasmids mediating KPC-2 production in E. coli and K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. Strains E. coli CPEc171209 and K. pneumoniae CPKp171210 were identified as ST410 and ST307, respectively. CPEc171209 harbored five plasmids belonging to serotype O8:H21, which is in the antimicrobial-resistant clade C4/H24. The CPKp171210 isolate harbored three plasmids. Both strains harbored various additional antimicrobial resistance genes. The IncX3 plasmid pECBHS_9_5 harbored blaKPC-2 within a truncated Tn4401a transposon, which also contains blaSHV-182 with duplicated conjugative elements. This plasmid displayed 100% identity with the IncX3 plasmid pKPBHS_10_3 from the K. pneumoniae CPKp171210 ST307 strain. The genes responsible for the conjugal transfer of the IncX3 plasmid included tra/trb clusters and pil genes coding the type IV pilus. ST410 can be transmitted between patients, posing an elevated risk in clinical settings. The emergence of a KPC-producing E. coli strain (ST410) is concerning because the blaKPC-2-bearing plasmids may carry treatment resistance across species barriers. Transgenic translocation occurs among carbapenem-resistant bacteria, which may spread rapidly via horizontal migration.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.428-435
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• 2019

The rapid increase and dissemination of carbapene mases, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC), has become a major problem within the field of healthcare-related infection. There are few antibiotics to treat carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections, so the identification of resistant bacterial mechanisms is critical to initiate infection control and conduct epidemiological research. A rapid and effective method for detecting KPC-producing bacteria is needed to avoid therapeutic failures and introduce measures to prevent and control the dissemination of these multi-resistant bacteria. During the study period, 31 isolates (seven isolates of Acinetobacter spp., six isolates of Morganella morganii, five isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, five isolates of Proteus mirabilis, one isolate of Proteus vulgaris, two isolates of Enterobacter cloacae, one isolate of Enterobacter aerogenes, one isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae, one isolate of Klebsiella oxytoca, one isolate of Serratia marcescens and one isolate of Escherichia coli) were identified by the VITEK. Gram negative rod bacteria were the most frequently isolated from urine (35.5%), blood (19.4%), sputum (16.1%), pus (9.7%), ascitic fluid (9.7%), tracheal aspirates (6.5%) and bile juice (3.2%). Analysis using the PCR method identified the bla_KPC gene in the K. oxytoca1 strain, but the bla_IMP, bla_VIM and bla_OXA-48 genes are not amplified. In conclusion, diagnosis using the PCR method can accurately and quickly diagnose KPC, thus establishing quick preventive measures to prevent the spread of KPC in hospitals.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2021

This study investigated the use of real-time PCR melting curves for the diagnosis of blaKPC and blaNDM genes among the most frequently detected carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Korea. As a means of addressing the shortcomings of phenotype tests and conventional PCR. The modified Hodge test confirmed positivity in 25 of 35 strains, and carbapenemase inhibition testing confirmed positivity in 14 strains by meropenem+PBA or meropenem+EDTA. PCR analysis showed amplification products in 25 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC), 10 of K. pneumoniae, 5 of E. coli, 5 of A. baumannii, 4 of P. aeruginosa, and 1 of P. putida. New Delhi metallo β-lactamase (NDM) identified amplification products in 8 strains, that is, 2 K. pneumoniae, 3 E. coli, 1 P. aeruginosa, 1 E. cloacae, and 1 P. retgeri strains. Real-time PCR melting curve analysis confirmed amplification in 25 strains of KPC and 8 strains of NDM, and these results were 100% consistent with PCR results. In conclusion, our findings suggest early diagnosis of carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae by real-time PCR offers a potential means of antibacterial management that can prevent and control nosocomial infection spread.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.76.2-76.2
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• 2010

We report the extended far-ultraviolet (FUV) halo of NGC 891 above the galactic plane. The FUV intensity distribution is well described by two exponential components, one with the scale height of ~0.34 kpc and the other of ~2.3 kpc. The extraplanar FUV halo is traceable up to > 5 kpc. The FUV halo is attributable to scattered-off starlight by extraplanar dust. Using Monte-Carlo radiative transfer simulations, the FUV intensity distribution along the minor axis is found to be well modeled with two dust comonents. Its implications are discussed.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.63.3-63.3
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• 2016

We present the two-dimensional distribution of stellar populations in five E+A galaxies from GMOS-N/IFU spectroscopy (GN-2015B-Q-15). Numerical simulations demonstrated that E+A galaxies formed by major mergers contain young stellar populations (e.g. A-type stars) that are centrally-concentrated within scales of 1 kpc. However, several IFU studies reported that A-type stars are widely distributed on ${\gg}$ 1kpc scales. In contrast, Pracy et al. (2013) found a central concentration of A-stars and strong negative Balmer absorption line gradients within 1 kpc scales for local (z < 0.03) E+A galaxies. They claimed that previous studies failed to detect the central concentration because the E+A galaxy samples in previous studies are too far (z ~ 0.1) to resolve the central kpc scales. To verify Pracy et al.'s argument and the expectation from simulations, we selected five E+A galaxies at 0.03 < z < 0.05. Furthermore, we selected the targets in the mid-infrared green valley (Lee et al. 2015). Thanks to good seeing (${\sim}0.4^{{\prime}{\prime}}{\simeq}0.33kpc$) of our observation, we are able to resolve the central 1 kpc region of our targets. We found that all five galaxies have negative Balmer line gradients, but that three galaxies have flatter gradients than those reported in Pracy et al. We discuss the results in relation with galaxy merger history.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.69-103
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• 1984

Five different calibrations of metal abundances of globular clusters are examined and these are compared with metallicity ranking parameters such as $(Sp)_c$, . Q39 and IR-indices. Except for the calibration $[Fe/H]_H$ by the high dispersion echelle analysis. the other calibration scales are correlated with the morphological parameters of red giant branch. In the $[Fe/H]_H$-scale. the clusters later than ${\sim}F8$ have nearly a constant metal abundance. $[Fe/H]_H{\simeq}-1.05$, regradless of morphological characteristics of horizontal branch and red giant branch. By the two fundamental calibration scales of $[Fe/H]_L$ (derived by the low dispersion analysis) and $[Fe/H]_{{\Delta}s}$ (derived by the spectral analysis of RR Lyrae stars). the globular clusters are divided into the halo clusters with [Fe/H]<-1.0 and the disk clusters confined within the galactocentric distance ${\tau}_G=10\;kpc$ and galactic plane distance |z|=3 kpc. In this case the abundance gradient is given by d[Fe/H]/$dr_G{\approx}-0.05\;kpc^{-1}$ and d[Fe/H]/$d|z|{\simeq}-0.08\;kpc^{-1}$ within ${\tau}_G=20\;kpc$ and |z|=10 kpc, respectively. According to these characteristics of the spatial distribution of globular clusters. the chemical evolution of the galactic globular clusters can be accounted for by the two-zone (disk-halo) slow collapse model when the $[Fe/H]_L$-or $[Fe/H]_{{\Delta}s}$-scale is applied. In the case of $[Fe/H]_H$-scale, the one-zone fast collapse model is preferred for the evolution of globular clusters.