• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2003

Pre-treatment with DL-3-aminobutyric acid (BABA) in the cucumber plants caused the decrease of disease severity after inoculation with anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum orbiculare. In this study, ultrastructures of the vascular bundle and the infection structures in the leaves of BABA-treated as well as untreated cucumber plants were observed after inoculation with the anthracnose pathogen by electron microscopy. The ultrastructures of vascular bundle in the leaves of BABA-treated plants were similar to those of the untreated plants except plasmodesmata. In the BABA-treated plants, the plasmodesmata were more numerous than in the untreated plants, suggesting that the BABA treatment may cause the active transfer of metabolites through the vascular bundle. In the leaves of untreated plants, the fungal hyphae were spread widely in the plant tissues at 5 days after pathogen inoculation. Most cellular organelles in the hyphae were intact, indicating a compatible interaction between the plant and the parasite. In contrast, in the leaves of BABA pre-treated plants the growth of most hyphae was restricted to the epidermal cell layer at 5 days after inoculation. Most hyphae cytoplasm and nucleoplasm was electron dense or the intracellular organelles were degenerated. The cell walls of some plant cells became thick at the site adjacent to the intercellular hyphae, indicating a mechanical defense reaction of the plant cells against the fungal attack. Furthermore, hypersensitive reaction (HR) of the epidermal cells was often observed, in which the intracellular hyphae were degenerated. Based on these results it is suggested that BABA causes the enhancement of defense mechanisms in the cucumber plants such as cell wall apposition or HR against the invasion of C. orbiculare.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.212-214
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• 2015

Encephalitoozoon cuniculi is an obligate intracellular microsporidian parasite commonly found in rabbits, causing encephalitozoonosis. This organism can also infect a wide range of hosts including humans, which is known to cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals. In this case, four rabbits presented with head tilt and nystagmus were diagnosed for E. cuniculi infection using ELISA. The rabbits were treated with fenbendazole for 4 weeks and therapeutic success was evaluated by assessing the neurological symptoms. Three out of 4 rabbits showed improved health condition 3 to 5 days after treatment, but one rabbit showed persistent anorexia and head tilt after treatment and then died after 10 days. This report is the first to investigate the therapeutic response of fenbendazole for rabbit encephalitozoonosis in Korea, and suggests that pet rabbits may serve as potential E. cuniculi reservoirs for both pet animals and humans.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.1 s.137
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• pp.1-5
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• 2006

One coastal village in Haenam-gun and two in Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do were surveyed for intestinal parasite infections by fecal examination. The egg positive rates of Gymnophalloides seoi were high, $24.1\%$ (14/58) in Haenam-gun and $9.3\%$ (11/118) in Yeongam-gun. The egg positive rates of heterophyids, including Heterophyes nocens, and of Clonorchis sinensis were $10.3\%\;and\;6.9\%$ in Haenam-gun, and $14.4\%\;and\;8.5\%$ in Yeongam-gun, respectively. After praziquantel treatment and purgation, a total of 37,761 fluke specimens were recovered from 17 patients; 11 in Haenam-gun and 6 in Yeongam-gun. Gymnophalloides seoi was the most commonly recovered species, with 37,489 specimens in total (2,205 per person). Other recovered flukes included Heterophyes nocens, Stictodora fuscata, Heterophyopsis continua, Pygidiopsis sUmma, and undetermined species. These results indicate that the areas surveyed are new endemic foci of G. seoi.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2009

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii (TG) in cattle and pigs reared in eastern areas of Gyeongbuk province by ELISA. Among 368 sera collected from 119 cattle farms, 76 (20.7%) sera from 34 (28.6%) farms had antibodies to TG. Fifty (27.2%) out of 184 cattle in Uljin-gun and 26 (14.1%) out of 184 cattle in Yeongdeok-gun were positive. Pyeonghae (50.0%) in Uljin-gun and Dalsan (33.3%) in Yeongdeok-gun had the highest TG antibodies in cattle compared to other areas. Prevalence of TG antibodies in cattle was increased with age. Among 368 sera collected from 43 pig farms, 62 (16.8%) sera from 16 (37.2%) farms had antibodies to TG. Forty (21.7%) out of 184 pigs in Uljin-gun and 22 (12.0%) out of 184 pigs in Yeongdeok-gun were positive. Uljin and Puk (40.0%) in Uljin-gun and Yeonghae (33.3%) in Yeongdeok-gun had the highest TG antibodies in pigs compared to other areas. Prevalence of TG antibodies in sows was higher than that in fattening pigs. Seasonally, prevalence of TG antibodies in pigs was highest in summer (23.4%) and lowest in winter (12.5%). Based on these observations, data indicate that infection by the protozoan parasite TG is widely prevalent in cattle and pigs reared in eastern areas of Gyeongbuk province.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate metacercarial infections in the wrestling halfbeak, Dermogenys pusilla, collected from Bangkok metropolitan region of Thailand. A total of 4,501 fish from 78 study sites were commonly examined with muscle compression and digestion methods (only head part of fish) during September 2017 to July 2018. The overall prevalence of metacercarial infection was 86.1% (3,876/4,501 individuals), and the mean intensity was 48.9 metacercariae per fish infected. Four species, i.e., Posthodiplostomum sp., Stellantchasmus falcatus, Cyathocotylidae fam. sp., and Centrocestus formosanus, of digenetic trematode metacercariae (DTM) were detected. The prevalences were 65.8%, 52.0%, 2.1%, and 1.2%, respectively and their mean intensities were 23.1, 51.6, 1.4, and 3.2 per fish infected, respectively. The seasonal prevalences were 81.0% in winter, 87.8% in summer and 87.4% in rainy, and the mean intensities were 38.9, 46.6, and 55.2 metacercariae per fish infected, respectively. Conclusively, it was confirmed that the wrestling halfbeak play the role of second intermediate hosts of 4 species of digenetic trematodes including S. falcatus and Posthodiplostomum sp. in Bangkok metropolitan region. And then the metacercariae of C. formosanus and Cyathocotylidae fam. sp. are to be first found in the wrestling halfbeak by this study.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2011

The unwanted artificial oil-spill has severely contaminated the coastal environment in the world. Level of contamination has so far been monitered by various indicator species including mussel, oysters, flounder, and cockle. In this study, we decided to use the oyster as a model organism to observe the morphological changes being exposed to the artificial oil-spill in the coastal areas in Taean, Korea. The oysters were collected from four local sites (Sindu-ri, Uiwang-ri, Jonghyeon-dong, Ansan and Uihang-ri) exposed to various levels of pollution after an oil spill in Taean. Microscopic analysis of the hepatopancreatic microstructure in the digestive gland from the collected oysters show that the swelling, whorl, and destruction phenomenon of the nuclear membrane, a well-known microstructure induced by heavy metal exposure, was observed. Nuclear body (Nb), another typical characteristic of contamination or infection were also observed in some samples. Necrosis was observed in tissue samples collected from the area with a high degree of oil pollution. In addition, parasite-like particles (virus, perkinsus) were observed in most samples. Taken together, these results suggest that oil contamination in the oyster habitats influences the cytopathological changes in Crassostrea gigas.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2010

A white pelican, Pelecanus onccrotalus, was imported from Tanzania and died 5 days later in Daejeon zoo in Korea. The proventriculus of bird was found to contain parasites. The taxonomic status of the nematodes was studied by morphological and morphometric analysis using light and scanning electron microscopy. Only one species Contracaecum occurred in the proventriculus with high values of infection. Morphological characters of the parasite were as follows: The worms have three lips without cuticular dentigerous ridges, and well developed interlabia. The interlabia have a triangular shape, non-bifurcated. Males possess numerous preanal papillae (69-79 pairs) arranged in single subventral rows. Paracloacal papillae were separated 5 postanal papillae and 1 larger pairs. All the characters of the above studied specimens are very similar to those of C. rudolphii complex. Accordingly, the parasites from white pelican were identified belong to the C. rudolphii complex.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.445-457
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• 2007

This report studied the individual number, their favorite habitat, and change pattern of family and group number in Cheolwon Basin, starting in the early Oct. 2004 until late March. 2005 to investigate the ecological features of the Red-crowned Crane and the White-naped Crane. The Cranes arrived Cheolwon Basin in mid-October until next mid-March, and passed the winter in mid-November until next late-February The most visiting number amounted to 550 individuals and, that period was the most frosting mid-January to mid-February. The White-naped Crane visited Cheolwon Basin in autumn, the early winter and spring. Approximately, the wintering-number is 550 individuals, also, the mid-March was the peak-period of arrival and, the number amounted to 2,162 individuals. The cranes chose the farming area around mountains as their wintering habitat and were less likely to choose the farming area around lake as habitat. The Red-crowned Crane and the White-naped Crane showed the different periodical pattern in familial and group numbers. In case of the crane, the familial pattern was stable, but varied in grouping number, and this pattern was similar to the variation of overall individual number. And, also, the most grouping number was shown in the most freezing period of wintering period. The White-naped Crane showed the similar pattern of the Red-crowned Crane that is, stable family number and varying group number, this pattern affected the total number of entire individuals. Grouping number increased in migration period. Parasite infection rate is G japonensis 35.0%, G vipio 38.7%.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.379-382
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• 2008

Eosinophilic pleural effusions (EPE) are defined as those effusions that contain at least 10% eosinophils, and EPE can be associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia in a variety of systemic diseases. There have been a few cases that have addressed the association of peripheral blood eosinophilia and posttraumatic EPE, and this condition can be misdiagnosed as being the result of other causes due to the delayed presentation. We report here on a case of 47-year-old male who presented with eosinophilic pleural effusion associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia at 2 months after minor chest trauma. We excluded the other possible causes such as consumption of drugs, parasite infection, malignancy, diseases of pulmonary eosinophilic infiltration, autoimmune diseases and pulmonary thromboembolism. We observed his clinical course without specific treatment. Three months later, the pleural effusion completely disappeared and the number of peripheral eosinophils returned to normal.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2016

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular Apicomplexan parasite and a causative agent of toxoplasmosis in human. It causes encephalitis, uveitis, chorioretinitis, and congenital infection. T. gondii invades the host cell by forming a moving junction (MJ) complex. This complex formation is initiated by intermolecular interactions between the two secretory parasitic proteins-namely, apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) and is critically essential for the host invasion process. By this study, we propose two potential leads, NSC95522 and NSC179676 that can efficiently target the AMA1 hydrophobic cleft, which is a hotspot for targeting MJ complex formation. The proposed leads are the result of an exhaustive conformational search-based virtual screen with multilevel precision scoring of the docking affinities. These two compounds surpassed all the precision levels of docking and also the stringent post docking and cumulative molecular dynamics evaluations. Moreover, the backbone flexibility of hotspot residues in the hydrophobic cleft, which has been previously reported to be essential for accommodative binding of RON2 to AMA1, was also highly perturbed by these compounds. Furthermore, binding free energy calculations of these two compounds also revealed a significant affinity to AMA1. Machine learning approaches also predicted these two compounds to possess more relevant activities. Hence, these two leads, NSC95522 and NSC179676, may prove to be potential inhibitors targeting AMA1-RON2 complex formation towards combating toxoplasmosis.