• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2016

Ureaplasma species can normally colonize in the bodies of healthy individuals. Their colonization is associated with various diseases including non-gonococcal urethritis, chorioamnionitis, neonatal meningitis, and prematurity. In 2012, the sum of the resistant and intermediate resistant rates of Ureaplasma spp. to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was 66.08% and 92.69%, respectively. DNA point mutations in the genes encoding DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II) and topoisomerase IV are commonly responsible for fluoroquinolone resistance. Each enzyme is composed of two subunits encoded by gyrA and gyrB genes for DNA gyrase and parC and parE genes for topoisomerase IV. In the current study, these genes were sequenced in order to determine the role of amino acid substitutions in Ureaplasma spp. clinical isolates. From December 2012 to May 2013, we examined mutation patterns of the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) in Ureaplasma spp. DNA sequences in the QRDR region of Ureaplasma clinical isolates were compared with those of reference strains including U. urealyticum serovar 8 (ATCC 27618) and U. parvum serovar 3 (ATCC 27815). Mutations were detected in all ofloxacin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates, however no mutations were detected in drug-susceptible isolates. Most of the mutations related to fluoroquinolone resistance occurred in the parC gene, causing amino acid substitutions. Newly found amino acid substitutions in this study were Asn481Ser in GyrB; Phe149Leu, Asp150Met, Asp151Ile, and Ser152Val in ParC; and Pro446Ser and Arg448Lys in ParE. Continuous monitoring and accumulation of mutation data in fluoroquinolone-resistant Ureaplasma clinical isolates are essential to determining the tendency and to understanding the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

Purpose: The association of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations, deletions and copy number with progressive changes in patients with some glomerular disease and end-stage renal disease have been reported. In this study, we performed mtDNA mutation analysis in children with IgA nephropathy to investigate its role in progressive clinical course. Methods: Seven children with IgA nephropathy were involved in this study. MtDNA isolated from platelet was amplified by PCR and sequenced entirely. Results: The mean age at renal biopsy was $11.5{\pm}2.2$ year and the mean age at latest evaluation was $17.9{\pm}3.2$ year. The mean follow-up period were $7.8{\pm}3.1$ years. Patients was divided into 2 groups according to the amount of proteinuria at presenting manifestation. Group 2 patients were nephrotic syndrome. Renal function reveals within normal range in all patients. In group 2 patients, the mean serum albumin level was significantly lower than those of group 1 ($3.7{\pm}0.6g/dL$ vs. $4.7{\pm}0.2g/dL$, P=0.0241) and the mean total cholesterol level was significantly higher than those of group 1 ($222.7{\pm}35.7mg/dL$ vs. $148.3{\pm}29.1mg/dL$, P=0.0283). In Group 2 patients, total amount of protein of 24 hour collected urine also significantly higher than those of group 1 ($1,466.0{\pm}742.5mg$ vs. $122.5{\pm}48.1mg$, P=0.0135). Pr/Cr ratio in random urine sample was also higher in group 2 than those of group 1 but the statistical significance was not noted ($1.8{\pm}1.6$ vs. $0.2{\pm}0.2$, P=0.0961). Deletion of mtDNA nt 8272-8281 were observed in two patients, one patient in each groups, respectively. This is noncoding lesion. No patients demonstrated the mtDNA mutations. Conclusions: We have identified a deletion of mtDNA nt 8272-8281 in two children with IgA nephropathy. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of mitochondrial function in the progressive change of IgA nephropathy.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.284-288
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• 2001

Respiratory viruses are one of the most infectious agent in human. Six different respiratory tract viruses were detected from Busan while working on the preventive surveillance in 1997-2000. The isolation rate from suspected specimens were 8.4%. Influenza virus A, B type, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, mumps virus, and measles virus were examined from throat swabs, serum, and secretions of patients. Influenza A/Sydney/05/97(H3N2)-like, A/Johanesburg/33/94(H3N2)-like, A/Beijing/262/95(H1N1)-like and Influenza B/Beijing/262/95-like, B/Harbin/07/94-like, B/Guangdong/08/93-like were found. Adenovirus serotype 1, 2, 3 and 5 were detected, antibody of mumps both IgM and IgG were shown and outbreaks of measles were confirmed. Different antigenic types of influenza virus were detected every year, one outbreak of parainfluenza in 1999, mumps outbreak in 1999 and 2000, and incidence of measles in 2000 were noticeable. Monthly outbreaks were November through following March with influenza virus, January through June with adenovirus, February through May and December with mumps, April through August and November, December with measles, respectively. The size of isolated viruses were 130 nm with influenza virus B type, non-enveloped, icosahedron with 70 nm with adenovirus, 170 nm with mumps virus and 180 nm with parainfluenza virus in diameter, respectively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 2010

The bacteriological and physiochemical analysis of sea water and sediments in Tongyeong harbor was conducted to evaluate sanitary conditions. The samples were collected at 8 stations established once a month from June, 2008 to May, 2009. During the study period, the range of temperature was from 6.7 to $25.2^{\circ}C$, transparency ranged from 1.2 to 2.6 m, chemical oxygen demand ranged from 1.90 to 2.92 mg/L, dissolved oxygen ranged from 6.2 to 10.5 mg/L, dissolved nitrogen ranged from 0.052 to 0.098 mg/L, phosphate ranged from 0.044 to 0.065 mg/L, respectively. Seafood, if eaten raw, carries the risk of food poisoning. Seafood poisoning is often cause by pathogenic microorganism originating from fecal contamination, such as Salmonella sp., Shigella sp. and norovirus. Fecal coliforms are an important indicator of fecal contamination. Therefore, data on fecal coliform are very important for evaluating the safety of fisheries in coastal areas. So, we investigated the sanitary indicate bacteria. The coliform group and fecal coliform MPN's of sea water in Tongyeong harbor were ranged from < 1.8~22,000/100 mL (GM 164.9 MPN/100 mL) and < 1.8~7,900 MPN/100 mL (GM 33.7 MPN/100 mL), respectively. Total coliform were detected 97.0% in 96 of samples and 68.9% of total coliforms were fecal coliforms. These results similar to another seawater detection ratio of total coloforms and fecal coliforms. The Vibrios was isolated and identified with VITEK system. Four hundred eighty strains that were obtained from sea water samples in Tongyeong harbor Detection ratio Vibrio alginolyticus, 34.2%, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 13.8%, Vibrio vulnificus 10.0%, and V. mimicus 12.5% respectively. Vibrio cholerae O1, was not detected. During the study period, the ranges of water content, ignition loss, COD, and acid volatile sulfates in sediments in Tongyeoung harbor were 41.0~57.4%, 7.8~10.5%, 6.51~9.30 mg/g, 0.04~0.09 mg/g, respectively. Heavy metals in sediment of Tongyeoung harbor were Cd, $0.10{\pm}0.05$; Cu, $4.79{\pm}8.20$; As, $1.95{\pm}0.17$; Hg, $0.10{\pm}0.07$; $Cr^{6+}$, $0.34{\pm}0.12$; Zn, $125.33{\pm}16.40$; Ni, $16.43{\pm}1.93$ mg/kg.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1625-1633
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the physicochemical compositions and antioxidative effects of Eriobotrya japonoca Lindl (Loquat). The proximate compositions of the loquat leaf on a dry matter basis were 8.78% moisture content, 6.74% crude protein, 7.87% crude fat, 6.99% crude ash, 43.61% dietary fiber and 26.01% carbohydrate. In analysis of free amino acids, 16 kinds total amino acid components, 17 kinds of components were isolated from loquat. The essential amino acids contained in loquat leaf accounted for 50.15% of total amino acids, while the non-essential amino acids accounted for 49.85%. In analysis of total fatty acids, only 5 kinds of acid were detected: lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid. The contents of vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C were 0.039 mg%, 0.096 mg% and 0.575 mg%, respectively. The mineral contents of loquat leaf were greater in order of Zn

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.373-384
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• 2001

Cellular proliferation is an intricately regulated process mediated by the coordinated interactions of critical growth control genes. Two of these factors in mammalian cells are the p53 and mdm-2 genes. A protein product of the mem-2 oncogene has been recently shown to associate with the protein encoded by the tumor suppressor gene p53. The p53 tumor suppressor protein is stabilized in response to DNA damage and other stress signals and causes the cell to undergo growth arrest or apoptosis, thus preventing the establishment of mutations in future cellular generations. Mutation or loss of p53 is a very common event in tumor progression. It occurs in about 50% of all tumors analysed including of colon, lung, breast and liver. The cellular mdm-2 gene, which has potential transforming activity that can be activated by overexpression, is amplified in a significant percentage of human sarcoma and in other mammalian tumors. Proteins encoded by the mdm-2 gene are able to bind to the p53 protein and, when overexpressed, can inhibit p53's transcriptional activation function, thus mdm-2 can act as a negative regulator of p53 function. Experimental study was performed to observe the relationship between p53 gene mutation and mdm-2 protein expression and apply the results to the clinical activity. 36 golden syrian hamster each weighing $60{\sim}80g$ were used and painted with 0.5% DMBA by 3 times weekly on the right buccal cheek(experimental side) for 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks. Left buccal cheek(control side) was treated with mineral oil as the same manner to the right side. The hamsters were sacrificed on the 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 & 16 weeks. Normal and tumor tissues from paraffin block were examined for histology and immunohistochemistry observation, and were completely dissected by microdissection and DNA from both tissue were isolated by proteins K/phenol/chloroform extraction. Segments of the hamster p53 exons 5, 6, 7 and 8 were amplified by PCR using the oligonucleotide primers, and then confirmational change was observed by SSCP respectively. The results were as follows : 1. Dysplasia at 6 weeks, carcinoma in situ at 8 weeks and invasive carcinoma from 10 weeks could be observed in experimental groups. 2. p53 mutations were detected in 10 of the 36(28%) and the exons 6(6 of the 10 : 60%) was the most hot spot area among the highy conserved region(exons 5, 6, 7 & 8). 3. Immunohistochemical study confirmed 22 of the 36(61%) of p53 expression involving 10 of p53 mutations. 4. mdm-2 expression of was showed in 3 of the 36(8%) involving 1 of the 22 of p53 expression and 2 of the 14 of p53 non-expression. From the above results, mutation of p53 gene or expression of p53 protein may have the influence of the DMBA induced carcinoma of hamster buccal pouch but the expression of mdm-2 protein may not have relationship with tumorigenesis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.473-483
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• 2001

Background : There are only a few studies regarding the causes of treatment failure for tuberculosis. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the causes of intractable tuberculosis. Methods : M. tuberculosis, differentiated MOTT (Mycobacterium Other Than Tuberculosis) were isolated, and the RFLP (Restriction fragments length polymorphisms) pattern was analyzed from 204 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 53 suffering from neck tuberculosis. The IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-12, $^*1\;IFN{\gamma}$ and $^*2\;TNF{\alpha}$ blood levels were measured. All patients were regularly followed for 18 months after treatment. Results : There was no correlation between the RFLP patterns of M. tuberculosis treatment failure. From the 204 cases, 31.9% were intractable. The characteristics of patients with intractable tuberculosis were old age, being male and recurrent cases. The causes of treatment failure were identified as follows ; a decrease in the IL-12(59.4%) concentration, drug resistant strain(54.7%), irregular medication(15.4%), MOTT(6.2%) and a heavy infection(4.6%). The causes of all cases of intractable tuberculosis could be investigated. The IL-12 concentration in the blood was significantly lower in the intractable cases, where it disclosed a maximum sensitivity(64.7%) and specificity(75.4%) at 165.0 pg/mL. Most of the 53 cases of neck node tuberculosis were treated successfully. Therefore, we were unable to analyze the cause of treatment failure. Conclusion : A decrease in the blood IL-12 concentration and drug resistant strains were identified as the most significant causes of treatment failure for tuberculosis. In Korea, infection by clusters were prevalent, but no difference in the clinical course between clusters and non-clusters could be found.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.240-247
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• 2010

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram (-) opportunistic human pathogen causing a wide variety of infections on lung, urinary tract, eyes, and burn wound sites and quorum sensing (QS), a cell density-sensing mechanism plays an essential role in Pseudomonas pathogenesis. In order to investigate the importance of QS in the Pseudomonas infections of Korean patients, we isolated 189 clinical strains of P. aeruginosa from the patients in Pusan Paik Hospital, Busan, South Korea. The QS signal production of these clinical isolates was measured by signal diffusion assay on solid media using reporter strains. While most clinical strains (79.4%) produced the QS signals as similar level as a wild type strain, PAO1 did, where LasR, the initial QS signal sensor-regulator was fully activated, a minority of them (4.2%) produced much less QS signals at the level to which LasR failed to respond. Similarly, while 72.5% of the clinical isolates produced QS signals enough to activate QscR, an another QS signal sensor-regulator, some few of them (9%) produced the QS signals at much lower level where QscR was not activated. For further analysis, we selected 74 clinical strains that were obtained from the patients under suspicion of Pseudomonas infection and investigated the total protease activity that is considered important for virulence. Interestingly, significant portion of them showed very low protease activity (44.6%) or no detectable protease activity (12.2%). When the biofilm-forming ability that is considered very important in chronic infection was examined, most isolates showed lower biofilm-forming activity than PAO1. Similarly, significant portion of clinical isolates showed reduced motility (reduced swarming activity in 51.4% and reduced twitching activity in 41.9%), or non-detectable motility (swarming-negative in 28.4% and twitching-negative in 28.4%). Our result showed that the clinical isolates that produced QS signals at the similar level to wild type could have significantly reduced activities in the protease production, biofilm formation, and motility, and some clinical isolates had unique patterns of motility, biofilm formation, and protease production that are not correlated to their QS activity.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.191-200
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• 2014

Nuruk samples collected from various regions in Korea were investigated in terms of fungal contents and diversity. In measurement of colony forming unit (CFU) in Nuruk suspensions on DRBC agar, Nuruk samples MS4, MS8, and MS10 were among the highest fungal density, with $1,278.9{\pm}21.6$ (${\times}10^4$), $1,868.0{\pm}27.7$ (${\times}10^4$), and $775.1{\pm}19.2$ (${\times}10^4$) were among the samples showing the highest fungal density. CFU per 20 mg Nuruk, respectively. The majority of fungal components were yeasts, including Pichia anomala, P. kudriavzevii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, whereas Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus oryzae, the representative Nuruk fungi, were predominant only in the low fungal density Nuruks (MS2, MS5, and MS11). Saccharification capability of the fungal isolates was assessed by measurement of amylase activity in the culture broth. The highest amylase activity was found in A. niger and A. luchuensis, followed by S. fibuligera. A. oryzae and R. oryzae showed fair amylase activity but significantly lower than those of the three fungal species. R. oryzae was suggested to play an additional role in degradation of ${\beta}$-glucan in crop component of Nuruk since R. oryzae was the only fungus that showed ${\beta}$-glucanase activity among the fungal isolates. To confirm the safety of Nuruk, aflatoxigenicity of the isolated Aspergillus was estimated using the DNA markers norB-cypA, aflR, and omtA. All of the isolates turned out to be non-aflatoxigenic as evidenced by the deletion of gene markers, norB-cypA and aflR, and the absence of aflatoxin in the culture supernatants shown by TLC analysis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.947-955
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• 2020

The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), a member of the Aphthovirus genus in the Picornaviridae family, affects wild and domesticated ruminants and pigs. During replication of the FMDV RNA (ribonucleic acid) genome, FMDV-encoding RNA polymerase 3D acts in a highly location-specific manner. This suggests that specific RNA structures recognized by 3D polymerase within non-coding regions of the FMDV genome assist with binding during replication. One such region is the cis-acting replication element (CRE), which functions as a template for RNA replication. The FMDV CRE adopts a stem-loop conformation with an extended duplex stem, supporting a novel 15-17 nucleotide loop that derives stability from base-stacking interactions, with the exact RNA nucleotide sequence of the CRE producing different RNA secondary structures. Here, we show that CRE sequences of FMDVs isolated in Korea from 2010 to 2017 exhibit A and O genotypes. Interestingly, variations in the RNA secondary structure of the Korean FMDVs are consistent with the phylogenetic relationships between these viruses and reveal the specificity of FMDV infections for particular host species. Therefore, we conclude that each genetic clade of Korean FMDV is characterized by a unique functional CRE and that the evolutionary success of new genetic lineages may be associated with the invention of a novel CRE motif. Therefore, we propose that the specific RNA structure of a CRE is an additional criterion for FMDV classification dependent on the host species. These findings will help correctly analyze CRE sequences and indicate the specificity of host species for future FMDV epidemics.