• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.896-902
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• 2001

Objectives : Aspergillosis of central nervous system(CNS) is a rare pathologic condition and it has been known to be difficult to diagnose and treat. We analyzed seven cases of central nervous system aspergillosis. The clinical characteristics, and the problems in diagnosis and treatment are discussed with review of previous literatures. Material and Methods : We reviewed the clinical records, radiological findings, and pathologic reports of 7 patients with aspergillosis which involved CNS. Results : Five patients were immunocompetent, and infection was related with previous operation in 4 of them. Two patients were immunocompromised and had no history of operation. Five patients had intracranial lesions and two had spinal lesions. Mean duration from the onset of initial symptom to pathologic diagnosis was 2.4 months. Mean duration from the previous operation to the onset of symptom was 9.3 months, and from the onset of symptom to diagnosis was 2.9 months in the patients who had histories of operation. All of them were treated with surgical procedures and intravenous and oral antifungal agents, resulting in cure in 6 cases. Mean duration of the treatment was 4.9 months. Conclusion : Because aspergillosis of CNS is a rare disease and is difficult to be differentiated from the pyogenic abscess or recurrent tumor, the pathologic diagnosis is very important for adequate treatment. Although the prognosis of aspergillosis of CNS has been known to be poor, adequate surgery for both diagnosis and treatment and antifungal chemotherapy resulted in good outcome.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2021

Life cycle stages, including daughter sporocysts, cercariae, and metacercariae, of Parvatrema duboisi (Dollfus, 1923) Bartoli, 1974 (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) have been found in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum from Aphae-do (Island), Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. The daughter sporocysts were elongated sac-like and 307-570 (av. 395) ㎛ long and 101-213 (av. 157) ㎛ wide. Most of the daughter sporocysts contained 15-20 furcocercous cercariae each. The cercariae measured 112-146 (av. 134) ㎛ in total length and 35-46 (av. 40) ㎛ in width, with 69-92 (av. 85) ㎛ long body and 39-54 (av. 49) ㎛ long tail. The metacercariae were 210-250 (av. 231) ㎛ in length and 170-195 (av. 185) ㎛ in width, and characterized by having a large oral sucker, genital pore some distance anterior to the ventral sucker, no ventral pit, and 1 compact or slightly lobed vitellarium, strongly suggesting P. duboisi. The metacercariae were experimentally infected to ICR mice, and adults were recovered at day 7 post-infection. The adult flukes were morphologically similar to the metacercariae except in the presence of up to 20 eggs in the uterus. The daughter sporocysts and metacercariae were molecularly (ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2) analyzed to confirm the species, and the results showed 99.8-99.9% identity with P. duboisi reported from Kyushu, Japan and Gochang, Korea. These results confirmed the presence of various life cycle stages of P. duboisi in the Manila clam, R. philippinarum, playing the role of the first as well as the second intermediate host, on Aphae-do (Island), Shinan-gun, Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.832-838
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• 2005

Purpose : Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is relatively common in childhood. Its extrapulmonary manifestations have been reported so much, but hepatitis associated with it has been reported rarely in Korea. Methods : A clinical study was performed on 556 patients of M. pneumoniae pneumonia diagnosed serologically at Gil hospital from January 2001 to December 2004. We reviewed 65 cases among these patients, who had elevated level of serum AST and ALT greater than 50 IU/L respectively without evidence of hepatitis A, B, C, Cytomegalovirus and Ebstein-Barr virus infections. Results : Hepatitis occurred in 11.7% of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, especially in fall and winter times. Male to female ratio was 1.2 : 1 and the mean age was 4 years and 3 months. Besides hepatitis, cough(95.4%), sputum(52.3%) and dyspnea(12.3%) were common as pulmonary manifestations. And among gastrointestinal manifestations, nausea/vomiting(26.2%) was the most common symptom, followed by poor oral intake(12.3%), diarrhea(12.3%) and abdominal pain(6.2%). In addition to hepatomegaly(4.6%) and splenomegaly(4.6%), coarse breathing sound was the most common physical manifestation, followed by rale(63.1%), pharyngeal injection(26.2%), and rash(10.8%). Anemia was noted in 20.0%, neutrophilia in 10.8%, eosinphilia in 38.5% and thrombocytosis in 6.2%, respectively. Mean level of ESR and CRP was 32.02 mm/hr and 6.69 mg/dL, respectively. Mean level of AST and ALT was 293.80 IU/L and 181.48 IU/L, respectively. Hyperbilirubinemia was noted in 7.7% and hypoalbuminemia was noted in 58.5%. Lobar or lobular pneumonia(78.5%) was the most common finding in chest X-ray and left lower lobe(39.2%) was most commonly affected. Pleural effusion was noted in 26.2%. Mean duration of hospitalization was 9.91 days. Serum AST/ALT level was normalized within 9.94 days and pulmonary consolidation resolved within 14.29 days. Conclusion : The prognosis of M. pneumoniae hepatitis is good. However, liver function should be considerately checked in M. pneumoniae infection because its incidence is not so low.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.747-753
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• 2003

면역글로불린의 Fc 부분에 대한 수용기인 $Fc{\gamma}R$는 세균에 대한 인식, 결합과 포식작용과정에서 중요한 역할을 한다. 이 $Fc{\gamma}R$에서 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb의 유전자 다형성이 치의학 분야에서 연구되고 있다. $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa에서는 두 번째 세포외 면역글로불린 유사 영역의 131번째 아미노산에서 아르기닌($Fc{\gamma}R$IIa-R131) 혹은 히스티딘($Fc{\gamma}R$IIa-H131)을 갖고 있으며, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa에서는 두번째 세포외 영역의 158번째 아미노산이 발린($Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa-158V) 혹은 페닐알라닌($Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa-158F)을 갖고 있다. $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb에서는 첫 번째 세포외 면역글로불린 유사영역의 4개의 아미노산의 유전자 다형성으로 인해서 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb-NA1과 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb-NA2의 두가지 유전자 다형성을 보이고 있다. 이번 연구는 치주적으로 건강한 한국인에서 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb에 대한 유전자형의 분포를 조사하고자 한 것으로 서울대학교 치과병원에 근무하는 치과의사, 치과위생사, 간호조무사 및 서울대학교 치과대학 4학년 학생 중 치주낭 깊이와 부착소실이 4mm 이하인 치주적으로 건강한 한국인 65명을 대상으로 하였다. $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb의 유전자 다형성은 분리한 DNA에 각 대립유전자에 특이성을 지닌 primer를 넣고 PCR(polymerase Chain Reaction)법을 이용하여 증폭시킨후 전기영동법을 이용하여 각 대립유전자의 존재를 확인함으로써 결정하였다. $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa의 유전자 다형성은 R/R131, R/H131, H/H131의 유전자형에 대하여 각각 7.7%, 38.5%, 53.8%의 분포를 보였으며, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa의 158V/V, 158V/F, 158F/F 유전자형에 대하여 각각 7.7%, 35.4%, 56.9%의 분포를 보였다. 또한 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb의 NA1/NA1, NA1/NA2, NA2/NA2 유전자형은 각각 33.9%, 53.8%, 12.3%의 분포를 보였다. 이를 바탕으로 각 대립유전자의 발생빈도 계산한 결과 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa의 R131과 H131이 26.9% 73.1%로 나타났으며, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa의 158V, 158F의 유전자형이 25.4%, 74.6%로 나타났다. $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb의 NA1, NA2 유전자형의 발생빈도는 60.8%, 29.2%로 나타났다. 이번 연구는 치주적으로 건강한 한국인에서의 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb에 대한 유전자형의 분포를 조사한 것으로, 이후 치주질환자의 유전자형 분포와의 비교로 치주질환과 $Fc{\gamma}R$IIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIa, $Fc{\gamma}R$IIIb의 유전자다형성과의 관련성에 관한 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 여겨진다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.976-985
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• 2005

Purpose : Although influenza is one of the most important causes of acute respiratory tract infections in children, effective antiviral therapies are not common and there are only a few clinical studies on treatment of influenza in children. We evaluated the efficacy of oseltamivir in the treatment of naturally aquired influenza in children during the first half of 2004 in Busan. Methods : From January 2004 to June 2004, throat swabs and nasal washes were performed and cultured for the isolation of influenza virus and tested by rapid antigen detection test(QuickVue influenza test) in children with suspected influenza infections. The children who responded positively to the QuickVue influenza test, we divided into two groups : an oseltamivir treatment group and a control group. We compared their clinical symptoms(including fever duration) and diagnosis. The medical records of patients with influenza virus infection were reviewed retrospectively. Results : A total of 621 individuals were suspected of influenza infection. Influenza viruses were isolated in 79(17.2 percent) out of 621 patients examined. QuickVue influenza tests were positive in 181 cases. The treatment group(83 individuals) received oseltamivir twice daily for 5 days, and the control group(99 individuals) were administered only symptom relief medicine. There was no differences between the two groups in clinical diagnosis and symptoms. Oseltamivir treatment reduced the fever duration and other respiratory symptoms. There were no adverse events associated with oseltamivir treatment. Conclusion : Our data suggest that oral oseltamivir treatment reduces the fever duration and other respiratory symptoms of acute influenza without side effects in children.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.1217-1223
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• 2003

Purpose : This study was conducted to assess clinical practices related to the evaluation and treatment of patients with acute gastrointestinal infection(AGI) in infants and children. This survey also evaluated the current opinion regarding the use of rotavirus vaccine. Methods : This survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire provided to 82 pediatricians in private clinics of Jeonbuk province. From April to June, 2002, 63 of 82 pediatricians(76.8 %) responded to the survey. Results : The annual proportion of patients with AGI was 13%. The highest proportion of patients with diarrhea were reported for the months of October through December. For the treatment of diarrhea, pediatricians preferred to prescribe lactobacillus products, oral rehydration solution, enzyme products, anti-emetics, anti-diarrheal formula, nothing by mouth(NPO) and bowel movement inhibitors in descending order of frequency. Most pediatricians(79.4%) prescribed antibiotics in less than 20% of patients with AGI. Amoxicillin was the most commonly prescribed antibiotics followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole(TMP/SMX) and amoxicillin/clavulanate. Clinical manifestations that pediatricians considered as important factors in prescribing antibiotics were bloody diarrhea, mucoid diarrhea, high fever, persisting disease and abdominal pain. Diagnostic procedures that pediatricians preferred for AGI patients were stool examination(rotavirus antigen, RBC, WBC), abdominal X-ray, and serum electrolytes. Pediatricians had a strong interest in rotavirus vaccine(71.4%). Conclusion : Acute gastrointestinal illness remains a common problem, especially during the winter months in Korea. AGI manifesting as watery diarrhea is appropriately treated with commonly available agents but pediatricians appear ready to consider additional approaches to decrease the sizable disease burden of AGI among children in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1984

The life history of a trematod fluck, Himasthla kusasigi was studied on the morphological characters of metacercariae, its infection rate in the clam and the contamination experiment to the herring gull, Larus crassiostris. The size of the metacercariae was $210{\sim}230{\times}220{\mu}m$, excysted metacercariae was $420{\times}160{\mu}m$ and it had 31 collar spines. The ventral sucker($112{\times}100{\mu}m$) was located just below the central part of the body. Esophagus was narrow and long, the intestine was branched in the upper part of the ventral sucker and extended to the hind part of the body. Excretory bladder without the infected part was located in the hind part of the body. The branched excretory tube was filled with the small granules and extended to the pharynx area. The infection rate of the metacercariae varied from place to place. In Naecho do and Puan the rates were $98.4\%$ and $95.9\%$ respectively. The infected number of Himasthla kusasigi per clam was positively proportional to the size of the clam. The adult fluckes developed from the metacercariae were obtained from the experimented herring gull. The metacercariae emerge from their cysts in the stomach of the herring gull, then they migrate it the intestine and 25 days after, most of them were found in the intestine. The size of the adult was $4.8{\sim}7.5{\times}0.22{\sim}0.24mm$, oral sucker; $68{\sim}120{\times}70{\sim}120{\mu}m$, pharynx: $80{\times}50{\mu}m$, ventral sucker: $630{\sim}680{\times}610{\sim}680{\mu}m$. The head collar $48{\sim}75{\times}10{\mu}m$ had 31 collar spines. The isolated trematod fluck from the samples was classified as a Himasthla kusasigi by the morphological characteristics of the adult flock and its metacercariae. We oberved that the second intermediate host of Himasthla kusasigi was hard clam, Meretrix lusoria, while its final host was herring gull, Larus crassiostris and Tringa ochropus.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.190-196
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• 2010

Nowadays many people use antibiotics to protect processed foods from many pathogenic bacteria. The abuse of antibiotics, however, can run the risk of creating resistant forms of bacterium. Our study focus is on making new substances that can not only replace antibiotics but also be friendly to the environment. In our experiments, we used fermented citrus fruit, soil microbes and coenzyme Q10 as probiotics and prebiotics. Chickens in the experimental group were fed these substances via oral route while those in the control group were not. After specific time periods, blood and feces samples were collected to test for Salmonella spp.. It is interesting that fermented citrus fruit was the most effective in suppressing this bacterium. Furthermore, dissection of the experiment group chickens shows that their livers did not change to a yellow color, in contrast to the control group. The results confirmed our proposal that the chickens fed with these materials can be protected from infection by Salmonella and other pathogens. These probiotics and prebiotics are highly practical because they are natural substances that can be easily recycled in the environment. It can also be used as an animal feed ingredient because of its safety.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1354-1361
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• 2005

Purpose : Rotavirus is an enteric pathogen that affects millions of children globally each year. But no specific therapy is available for the management of rotavirus diarrhea. Due to the clear need to define improved modality for treatment of rotavirus diarrhea, we evaluated the efficacy of antirotavirus IgY in the treatment of infants and children with gastroenteritis. Methods : First, the amount of viral particle in the stools of thirteen patients(seven were given IgY, 6 placebo) infected by rotavirus were evaluated for 3 days with the quantitative RT-PCR method. Second, 36 children with known rotavirus infection identified by ELISA or semi-quantitative RT-PCR were evaluated. We gave 5 g anti-rotavirus egg yolk daily in two equally divided doses for 3 days to two groups(an 18 IgY group and an 18 placebo group), respectively after parenteral consent. Daily vomiting frequency, stool frequency, oral intake and urine output were monitored for 3 days, and electrolyte and blood chemistry were checked at the first and third days. Results : First, in the placebo group, the amount of virus particles increased daily, but in the IgY group it decreased daily. Second, when IgY and placebos were given to children infected with rotavirus, diarrhea on the third day decreased significantly in the IgY group, compared with the placebo group. Conclusion : Treatment with antirotavirus immunoglobulin from immunized chicken's egg resulted in a decrease in the amount of viral particles in stools and diarrhea frequency in children. These results suggest that anti-rotavirus IgY is effective in the treatment of rotavirus gastroenteritis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.367-377
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• 2009

Halitosis is a generally accepted marker of diseases in the oral cavity and of systemic and gastrointestinal disorders. Based on these authors' previous findings (that (1) there is a close association between H. pylori infection and halitosis; (2) Korea red ginseng may suppress the colonization of H. pylori, fight H. pylori-induced cytotoxicity, and impose significant anti-inflammatory actions in patients with chronic gastritis; and (3) H. pylori infection is linked with the generation of significant levels of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), and the levels of VSCs correlate significantly with H. pylori-associated mucosal damages), in the current study, the authors documented the molecular mechanisms of Korea red ginseng's efficacy in ameliorating halitosis. When the RAW 264.7 cells were treated with the $H_2S$ releasing compound NaHS, the mRNA expression of cystathionine ${\gamma}$-lyase (CSE), IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS were more significantly induced compared with the vehicle-treated group. The cytoskeletal components of ezrin's and moesin's mRNA expressions were elevated by NaHS treatment accompanied by the activation of MAPK, p38, and ERK. Korea red ginseng pretreatment reduced both the NaHS-induced CSE expression and the proinflammatory genes (e.g., IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS) in a concentration-dependent manner. The ERM expression and the phosphorylation of p38 were also significantly reduced by Korea-red-ginseng pretreatment. Overall, Korea red ginseng pretreatment imposed significant anti-inflammatory effects through the downregulation of the NaHS-triggered proinflammatory gene expression, CSE, and ERM mRNA expression. Korea red ginseng could thus be said to be a key remedy of halitosis and to be effective in relieving gastric inflammation.