• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.251-263
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• 2022

Sea cucumbers are worm-like, leathery bodied, benthic, marine organisms with a branched gonad. There are over 900 species, and these organisms are capable of changing their mechanical state, regenerating their small appendages, and digestive tract. Additionally, sea cucumbers possess both commercial and therapeutical value. Furthermore, it is thought that the metabolites these organisms possess may give rise to their therapeutical value. The use of sea cucumbers in therapy can be traced back to the Ming dynasty, where they were eaten for their tonic properties against constipation, hypertension, and rheumatism. A plethora of studies have been conducted, whereby different metabolites were extracted from sea cucumbers and tested for different therapeutic properties. Herein, we review and discuss the anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-coagulant, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of the sea cucumber by assessing literature on PubMed and Google Scholar. Furthermore, the genome and epigenome of these remarkable species is discussed. With the immense data supporting the therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers, further studies are warranted, in order to develop novel and innovative therapeutic compounds for the benefit of human health from these fascinating marine organisms.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the status and risk factors for the carriage of multidrug-resistant organisms carriage in home health nursing patients. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 122 participants who received home health nursing and analyzed the data obtained from chart review and diagnostic tests for multidrug-resistant organisms carriage from January 2019 to January 2021. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that surgical procedures in the preceding year, injectable antibiotic use in the preceding month, pressure ulcer, and indwelling nasal tubes were significantly associated with multi-drug resistant infection. Conclusions: Infection-control strategies need to be developed and customized for use in the home health-nursing service for patients who are carriers of multidrug-resistant organisms.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.84-96
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• 2024

Background: Recent studies have elucidated the quorum-sensing mechanisms, biofilm formation, inter-pathogen interactions, and genes related to oral pathogens. This review aims to explore the recent expansion of drug targets against oral pathogens and summarize the current research on novel antibiotic substances derived from marine organisms that target oral pathogens. Methods: A comprehensive literature review summarized the novel mechanisms pertaining to quorum-sensing signal transmission systems, biofilm formation, and metabolite exchange in oral pathogens. The amino acid sequences of the 16 proteins identified as potential drug targets were systematically classified and compared across various oral microorganisms. Results: Through a literature review, we identified nine studies researching quorum sensing signaling inhibitors targeting oral pathogens. A comparison of the amino acid sequences of 16 potential drug targets in oral microorganisms revealed significant differences between oral pathogens and beneficial oral symbiotic microorganisms. These findings imply that it is possible to design drugs that can bind more selectively to oral pathogens. Conclusion: By summarizing the results of recent research on the signaling mechanisms that cause pathogenicity, new drug targets against oral pathogens were proposed. Additionally, the current status of developing new antibiotics for oral pathogens using recently developed quorum sensing inhibitors and natural products derived from marine organisms was introduced. Consequently, marine natural products can be used to develop drugs targeting new proteins in oral pathogens.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2007

Purpose: Pressure sore wound develops inevitably in long-term, immobilized and hospitalized patients. Sore wound infection is common problem and makes healing process difficult. We aimed to identify the pathogens of the purulent discharge in sore wound and to obtain information for appropriate antibiotics through a sensitivity test Methods: The bacteriologic study was made on 120 cases of patients who admitted or visited our hospital from 2004 January to 2005 December for sore wound treatment. Culture material was collected in BBL transport media with cotton swab and cultured by MacConkey agar plate. The method of MIC by VITEK and Microscan was used for sensitivity test. Results: Among 120 specimens, organisms were isolated from 77(64.2%) cases. Gram positive organisms were cultured in 73 specimens, Gram negative organisms in 46 specemens, and fungi in 2 specimens. Mixed infection by Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria were observed in 34 specimens. Among them, S. aureus was the most common isolate in 24(31.2%) patients and 10 (13.0%) S. Aureus isolates were MRSA. The most prevalent Gram-negative organism was Escherichia coli in 20 patients(25.9%). Vancomycin and teicoplanin showed highest sensitivity to Gram-positive organisms and imipenem and amikacin to Gram-negative organisms. Conclusion: Pressure sore wound demands consideration of multimodal therapeutic aspects and these findings would be useful informations to physicians, nurses and clinical assistants in understanding the nature of sore wound and selecting appropriate antibiotics.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1972.03a
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• pp.1.2-1
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• 1972

It is the most important to know the causative organisms and the most effective antibiotics in the cases of chronic suppurative otitis media not only for the treatment of the cases of O.M.P.C. but also for postoperative control of middle ear surgery. In the authors' opinion, there are various organisms in the middle ear depending on the country, hygine, and area, etc., and many new antibiotics have recently been developed. To the otologists, it is helpful to know the causative organisms of O.M.P.C. and to compare with other authors' results about the sensitivity of antibiotics to the organisms. Thus the authors have performed bacteriological studies and its sensitivity test to the causative organisms in the cases of O.M.P.C. and obtained the following results. According to the our studies, in the gram-negative species, Proteus species (16.9%) was the most sensitive to Ampicillin 81.8% and Pseudomonas(18.5%) was the most sensitive to Colimycin 91.7%, and in the gram positive group, Staphylococcus Aureus (29.2%) was sensitive to Erythromycin 100% and Orbenin 94.7%.

• Journal of Environmental Analysis, Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.243-251
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• 2018

Pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluents have been recognized as emerging pollutants threatening freshwater organisms. To extend understanding for bioaccumulation and toxicity in those organisms, information on biotransformation products (or metabolites) and their metabolic pathway are crucial. The aim of the present study is to identify and elucidate metabolites of pharmaceuticals formed in exposed organisms using suspect and nontarget screening approach using LC-HRMS. As the target pharmaceuticals, carbamazepine, ketoprofen, metoprolol, propranolol, and verapamil were selected whereas Daphnia magna and Gammarus pulex were used as test organisms. After 24h exposure, metabolites formed in the organisms were identified using LC-HRMS. The structures of metabolites were elucidated via analysis of MS/MS fragment pattern and the comparison with fragment database. As the results, a total of 10 metabolites were identified for 5 parent compounds (C253/C356 for carbamazepine, K211 for ketoprofen, M256 for metoprolol, P218/P276/P306 for propranolol, V196/V291/V441 for verapamil). Among them, the presence of C253 and V291 was confirmed using standard materials. Most of the identified metabolites were formed through oxidative reactions such as hydroxylation, N-demethylation, and dealkylation. Cysteine conjugation (phase II reaction) metabolite (C356) for carbamazepine was found in daphnia. The metabolic pathway of verapamil showed similar metabolic pathways and metabolic pathways for both species. Although the toxicological information on the identified metabolites could not be confirmed, the molecular structure information of the proposed metabolites can be used for future evaluation and prediction of toxicity.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.63-65
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• 2002

This report concerns a putative role of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAA) as natural scavengers of singlet oxygen ($^1$O$_2$) in marine organisms. MAA prepared from the ascidian Lissoclinum patella were found to protect biological systems against detrimental effects of the type II photosensitization in vitro. L. patella MAA were resolved into five components, and the relative $^1$0$_2$ quenching efficiencies were measured for three major components in aqueous media. It turned out that they were all effective in scavenging $^1$0$_2$, to different degrees albeit. The results suggest that physiological relevance of MAA in marine organisms may be found in a 'built-in' defense against photooxidative effects of sunlight.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.367-369
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• 2002

Chlorophyll (ChI) a' is the Cl3$^2$-epimer of ChI a which is the constituent of P700, the primary electron donor of Photosystem (PS) I, of a thrmophilic cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus, whose structure was recently determined by X-ray crystallography. To determine whether PS I of diverse oxygenic photosynthetic organisms universally contain one molecule of ChI a ’, pigment compositions of thylakoid membranes and PS I complexes isolated from cyanobacteria, green algae, red algae and higher plants were determined by reversed-phase HPLC. The results show that involvement of one ChI a'molecule in PS I is the universal feature for Chi a-based PS I of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1071-1079
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• 2005

Using single cell gel electrophoresis, DNA single strand breaks were determined in various marine organisms. DNA damage on fish blood cells was detected to know whether there was a difference between Incheon, Pohang, Masan, and Tongyeong as a control site. Tongyeong showed the lowest DNA damage among the study areas. Mussels, transplanted to Masan Bay for one month, revealed high DNA damage at sites with high economical activity. In two weeks exposure of polychaete to Incheon sediments, higher DNA damage was detected in the sediment adjacent to Incheon harbor than open sea. These results suggested that the marine organism from the polluted area revealed a relatively high DNA damage. In addition, these areas might be contaminated with genotoxic compounds and comet assay was useful as a bioassay to detect DNA damage in marine organisms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.263-268
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• 1984

Four patients of acute purulent pericarditis were seen at the Jeonbug National University Hospital between January, 1979 and December 1983. All patients were proven to have acute purulent pericarditis by clinical evaluation, bacterial study, and biopsy. Three patients were male and one female. The three patients were in pediatric age. The primary focuses were meningitis, Rt. coxitis, lobar pneumonia, and gastro-enteritis. The causative organisms were staphylococcus aureus in two patients. In the other two patients, organisms were not cultured from the pericardial pus. The reason why the causative organisms were not cultured in pericardial pus was probably due to massive antimicrobial treatment before pus collection. All patients were treated with systemic antibiotic therapy and pericardiostomy with normal saline irrigation. The three patients were treated without specific complication. The one patient developed the chronic constrictive pericarditis. In this patient, pericardiectomy was performed.