• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.72-77
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• 2024

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) produces Shiga toxin, which causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemorrhagic uremic syndrome. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has designated EHEC as a legal infectious disease and has conducted laboratory surveillance. This study aimed to compare the demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of EHEC cases in Jeju Province between August 2017 and November 2023, notified by two registry routes. The data were sourced from the integrated disease health and health management system managed by the KCDC. Cases reported due to experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, or contacts of each case were defined as the "symptomatic" group. In contrast, cases with positive findings during a health checkup or laboratory surveillance were defined as the "screening" group. The symptomatic and screening groups had 35 and eight patients, respectively. There were significant differences in the age and seasonal distribution. The selection group was 20-59 years old in the main age distribution and registered evenly throughout the four seasons. In comparison, the symptomatic group was younger or older and not registered in the winter. These findings may be used to establish a more appropriate surveillance system for diarrheal outbreaks.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-369
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• 2001

Streptococcus spp. of bacterial pathogen of fish were isolated from the cultured flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) in fish farm of Jeju Island. Clinical signs of the infected flounder which are the most commons symptoms are as follows: erratic swimming, darkening of the body colour, unilateral or bilateral exophthalmia, corneal opacity, hemorrhages in the opercular and the bases of the fins, and the ulceration of the body surface. Biochemical characteristics of pathogenic fish Streptococcus spp, were gram positive, spherical form, catalase negative, oxidase negative and $\beta$-haemolytic, respectively, The viable cells counted from the tissue of the diseased flounder were the largest in the order of the ulcer, the kidney, the blood and the brain, The drugs used were ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, gentamycin, tetracycline, erythromycin, streptomycin and oxytetracycline, Streptococcus spp. were found to be sensitive to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline and gentamycin, but were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin, streptomycin and oxytetracycline. The pathogenicity of Streptococcus spp. on the cultured flounder with an abdominal cavity injection was high. The haemolytic activity of the toxin against the sheep red blood cells reached the maximum after 30 min incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ or $50^{\circ}C$. The toxin showed highest activity at pH $5.5\sim6.5$.

• ALGAE
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2008

Many species in Gymnodiniales, which are unarmored dinoflagellates, are responsible for marine algal blooms and some of them have potent toxin in the cell. Their taxonomy has so far been well-defined, and several genera (e.g. Akashiwo, Gymnodinium, Karenia) have recently been re-described. In Korea, few works have been carried out on their taxonomical and molecular studies. This study focused on comparison of both morphological and molecular characteristics of five unarmored dinoflagellates on Korean coastal water: Akashiwo sanguinea, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, Gymnodinium catenatum, Gymnodinium impudicum and Karenia aureolum (=K. mikimotoi). Morphological characteristics observed here was in good accordance with the original descriptions of individual species. In addition, none of difference was found in morphological comparisons between the Korean and foreign strains. Furthermore, molecular analysis showed that the SSU rDNA sequences were generally identical according to each species. In some distinct features, A. sanguinea, which has generally the same morphological features, were divided into two groups: one was Korean isolates including European isolates, the other was American isolates. In the two groups, the nucleus was positioned differently: middle of the cells in the Korean isolates (GnSg02, GnSg03), near the epicone in American isolates (CCMP1593, CCMP1837). In addition, this was strongly supported by phylogenetic analysis, inferred from the SSU rDNA sequences. K. aureolum (GrAr01) was corresponded to European G. aureolum (=K. mikimotoi) in shape and position of nucleus, chloroplast, however, which is similar to K. digitata in view of having a finger-like sulcus. This was in good agreement with phylogenetic study of these species. G. catenatum have identical morphology except the ridge location, and their genotype of SSU rDNA was also identical to GenBank data of the same species. From this study, we found that the five Korean unarmored dinoflagellates are identical morphological characteristics and genotype to each species of foreign isolates.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.995-1005
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• 1999

Staphylococcus aureus is one of most prevalent intramammary pathogens and have characteristics which are not easily eradicated. Recently, to understand the sources and transmission of S aureus, many studies have focused on the subtyping of field isolate. This study was preformed to investigate the distribution pattern and characteristics of the isolates using phenotyping and genotyping. Samples were collected from milk of each udder, cow bodies (perianal region, vagina, tail, udder skin, sole) and environment (floor, liner, milker's hands, water, towel, insect) from 6 herds located in Kyung-gi province. Forty five strains of S aureus were isolated from 3 dairy herds (A, B, C) and were typed by hemolytic pattern, antibiotic resistant pattern, enterotoxin typing and PCR-based DNA fingerprinting. Slime productivity was also compared by each subtype to examine potential infectiousness. Of 45 strains, 41 were isolated from milk samples and 4 were isolated from liners. No strains isolated in the bodies and environment. Forty five strains isolated were classified as 18 subtypes by phenotyping and genotyping. There was common subtype between A and B herd, but the subtype of C herd showed different pattern. Among predominant subtypes, 60% of S aureus strain isolated from A and B herd showed subtype I and 50% of S aureus strain isolated from C herd belonged to subtype VI and X II. Neither somatic cell count (SCC) nor slime production was significantly different between predominant and minor subtypes. In summary, the study revealed that liners play more important roles in the mode of transmission than environmental sources. Several subtypes can be found in a herd, only a few subtype, however, was largely associated with the majority of infection.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.994-999
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• 2010

The toxin of Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) during summer season has been a problem and early prevention should be considered. A variety of methods can be used to forecast algal blooms and this study aims at examining feasibility of chlorophyll-a. The real-time data were collected by automatic water quality monitoring system (AWQMS) in Daecheong reservoir and invalid data were sorted by experts. And then, the sorted data were filled using linear interpolation. When the concentration of chlorophyll-a increased by $15mg/m^3$, water temperature and pH exceeded $26.8^{\circ}C$ and 9.5 respectively. As a result of correlation between chlorophyll-a and other parameters(i.e. water quality items and hydrological data), temperature (r=0.502 - 0.574), pH (r=0.583 - 0.681), total organic carbon (TOC, r=0.583 - 0.681) comparably had higher values. Meanwhile, the data around a day or two showed the highest correlation. In addition, chlorophyll-a is considered to be significantly effected by precipitation and inflow.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 1997

We collected 3,237 plant samples, mainly leaves of various trees, from many provinces in Korea and a total of 1,925 Bacillus thuringiensis isolates were obtained and characterized. The isolates were characterized in terms of crystal morphology, PAGE pattern of the toxin proteins, plasmids pattern, biochemical characteristics, and bioassay. The microscopic observation showed that 49.1% of the isolates have bipyramidal shape crystals, 7.1% of spherical shape crystals, 1.4% of rhomboidal shape crystals, and others have small or amorphous inclusions. The insecticidal activities of the spore-crystal mixtures of isolates were tested against Plutella xylostella, Bombyx mori, Culex pipiens, and Agelastica coerulea. Bioassay showed that 51.3% of the isolates were shown to be active; lepidopteran-specific (44.8%), dipteran-specific(4.9%) and coleopteran-specific (1.6%). The remainder(48.8%) did not show any activity against the insects we tested. Interestingly though, some of these non-active isolates were shown to have bipyramidal crystals. By serotyping 22 isolates of our collection, we found that there are various kind of subspecies such as aizawai, amagiens, canadensis, darmstadiensis, galleriae, finitimus, kurstaki, morrisoni and neoleonensis, and three isolates have been classified into a new serotype, H49, and one of them, the type strain, named subsp. muju. From this study it was found that phylloplane is a good source for the isolation of Bacillius thuringiensis, and Bacillus thuringiensis is distributed widely in Korea.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.521-531
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• 2015

Facial rejuvenation procedures can be roughly divided into face lift surgery and nonoperative, less invasive procedures, such as fat grafts, fillers, botulinum toxin injections, thread lifts, or laserbrasion. Face lift surgery or rhytidectomy is the procedure most directly associated with rejuvenation, due to its fundamental ability to restore the anatomical changes caused by aging. Various methods of face lift surgery have been developed over the last hundred years, thanks to advances in the understanding of facial anatomy and the mechanisms of aging, as well as the dedication of innovative surgeons. However, no generally applicable standard method exists, because the condition of each patient is different, and each operative method has advantages and disadvantages. Specific characteristics of the skin of Asians and their skeletal anatomy should be considered when determining the operative method to be used on Asian patients. Plastic surgeons should improve their ability to analyze the original aesthetic properties and problem areas of each patient, drawing on scientific knowledge about the aging process, and they should develop the skills necessary to perform various rejuvenative techniques. In the present article, we reviewed various face lift procedures and the current methods of modified double plane face lift, based on our clinical experience of over 30 years.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2064-2070
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• 2018

Pseudomonas tolaasii 6264 is a representative strain that causes bacterial blotch disease on the cultivated oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus. Bacteriophages are able to sterilize the pathogenic P. tolaasii strains, and therefore, they can be applied in creating disease-free mushroom cultivation farms, through a method known as "phage therapy". For successful phage therapy, the characterization of phage-resistant strains is necessary, since they are frequently induced from the original pathogenic bacteria in the presence of phages. When 10 different phages were incubated with P. tolaasii 6264, their corresponding phage-resistant strains were obtained. In this study, changes in pathogenic, genetic, and biochemical characteristics as well as the acquired phage resistance of these strains were investigated. In the phylogenetic analyses, all phage-resistant strains were identical to the original parent strain based on the sequence comparison of 16S rRNA genes. When various phage-resistant strains were examined by three different methods, pitting test, white line test, and hemolytic activity, they were divided into three groups: strains showing all positive results in three tests, two positive in the first two tests, and all negative. Nevertheless, all phage-resistant strains showed that their pathogenic activities were reduced or completely lost.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.249-260
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• 2022

The effect of permanganate oxidation was investigated as water treatment strategy with a focus on comparing the reaction characteristics of NaOCl and sodium permanganate (NaMnO₄) in algae (Monoraphidium sp., Micractinium inermum, Microcystis aeruginosa)-contained water. Flow cytometry explained that chlorine exposure easily damaged algae cells. Damaged algae cells release intracellular organic matter, which increases the concentration of organic matter in the water, which is higher than by NaMnO₄. The oxidation reaction resulted in the release of toxin (microcystin-LR, MC-LR) in water, and the reaction of algal organic matter with NaOCl resulted in trihalomethanes (THMs) concentration increase. The oxidation results by NaMnO₄ significantly improved the concentration reduction of THMs and MC-LR. Therefore, this study suggests that NaMnO₄ is effective as a pre-oxidant for reducing algae damage and byproducts in water treatment process.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.221-225
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• 2016

Tolaasin is a pore-forming peptide toxin produced by Pseudomonas tolaasii and causes a brown blotch disease by disrupting membrane structures of cultivated mushrooms. The mechanism and characteristics of tolaasin pore formation are not known in detail; however, tolaasin pores have been demonstrated in the artificial lipid bilayer. Since the tolaasin pore appeared less frequently and unstable in lipid bilayer, a mismatch between the length of tolaasin pore and the thickness of lipid membrane had been suggested. Therefore, tolaasin-induced hemolyses were measured by the additions of phospholipids composed of various fatty acids with different carbon numbers. When phosphatidylethanolamines made with two decanoic acids (C10:0, 1,2-didecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine; DDPE), myristic acids (C14:0, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine), and stearic acids (C18:0, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine) were added to the buffer containing RBCs and tolaasin peptides, DDPE facilitated the tolaasin-induced hemolysis while the other two phospholipids showed no effects. At various concentrations of DDPE, the tolaasin-induced hemolysis was stimulated as a dose-dependent manner. The phospholipids composed of mediumchain fatty acids stabilize the tolaasin pore probably by binding between the pore structure and membrane phospholipids and making the membrane thickness thinner around the pore. These results showed that tolaasin molecules make more stable pores in the membrane made with phospholipids composed of medium length fatty acids, suggesting that the length of tolaasin pore is a little shorter than the thickness of RBC membrane.