• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.109-112
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• 2015

Diphyllobothrium latum and Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense are morphologically similar to each other, and only genetic method can differentiate clearly between the 2 species. A strobila of diphyllobothriid tapeworm discharged from a 7-year-old boy was analyzed to identify the species by mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene sequencing. He and his family (total 4 persons) ate slices of 3 kinds of raw fish 16 days before visiting our outpatient clinic. All family members complained of abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. They all expelled tapeworm strobilae in their stools. They were treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel and then complained of no more symptoms. The cox1 gene sequencing of the strobila from the boy revealed 99.9% (687/688 bp) similarity with D. nihonkaiense and only 93.2% (641/688 bp) similarity with D. latum. Thus, we assigned this tapeworm as D. nihonkaiense. This is the first report of D. nihonkaiense infection in a family in Korea, and this report includes the 8th pediatric case in Korea. The current report is meaningful because D. nihonkaiense infection within a family is rare.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children who presented with nonorganic acute abdominal pain. Methods: A retrospective, single study was conducted on 2-15-year-old children diagnosed with nonorganic acute abdominal pain at the pediatric outpatient department of Vajira Hospital, Nawamindradhiraj University, between January 2015 and December 2019. The potential risk factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of the 367 patients with nonorganic acute abdominal pain, 94 (25.6%) experienced RAP within three months. In this group with RAP, 76 patients (80.8%) were diagnosed with functional gastrointestinal disorders, including functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified, and functional constipation. History of gastrointestinal infection (p=0.011), mental health problems (p=0.022), abdominal pain lasting ≥7 days (p<0.001), and change in stool frequency (p=0.001) were the independent risk factors associated with RAP in children with nonorganic acute abdominal pain; their odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 3.364 (1.314-8.162), 3.052 (1.172-7.949), 3.706 (1.847-7.435), and 2.649 (1.477-4.750), respectively. Conclusion: RAP is a common problem among children who first present with nonorganic acute abdominal pain. The identification of risk factors may provide proper management, especially follow-up plans for this group in the future.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.325-329
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• 2010

Toxoplasma gondii KI-1, a recent new isolate from Korea, shows similar pathogenicity and infectivity to mice compared to the virulent RH strain. To understand characteristics of host immunity, including immune enhancement or suppression, we investigated proliferative responses and phenotypes of spleen cells. In addition, kinetics of IFN-${\gamma}$, a Th1 cytokine, was examined in BALB/c mice up to day 6 post-infection (PI). Intraperitoneal injection of mice with $10^3$ KI-1 tachyzoites induced significant decreases (P < 0.05) in proliferative responses of spleen cells. This occurred at days 2-6 PI even when concanavalin A (con A) was added and when stimulated with KI-1 antigen, suggesting suppression of the immunity. $CD4^+$ T-cells decreased markedly at day 2 PI (P < 0.05), whereas $CD8^+$ T-cells, NK cells, and macrophages did not show significant changes, except a slight, but significant, increase of $CD8^+$ T-cells at day 6 PI. The capacity of splenocytes to produce IFN-${\gamma}$ by con A stimulation dropped significantly at days 2-6 PI. These results demonstrate that intraperitoneal injection of KI-1 tachyzoites can induce immunosuppression during the early stage of infection, as revealed by the decrease of $CD4^+$ T-cells and IFN-${\gamma}$.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.239-242
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• 2012

The influence of temperature on the development and embryonation of Ascaris suum eggs was studied using coarse sand medium in an environmental chamber with 50% humidity. The time required for development and embryonation of eggs was examined under 3 different temperature conditions, $5^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $35^{\circ}C$. A. suum eggs did not develop over 1 month at the temperature of $5^{\circ}C$. However, other temperature conditions, $25^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$, induced egg development to the 8-cell-stage at days 5-6 after incubation. All eggs examined developed to the 8-cell stage at day 6 after incubation in the sand medium at $25^{\circ}C$. The higher temperature, $35^{\circ}C$, slightly accelerated the A. suum egg development compared to $25^{\circ}C$, and the development to the 8-cell stage occurred within day 5 after incubation. The formation of larvae in A. suum eggs at temperatures of $35^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$ appeared at days 17 and 19 after incubation, respectively. These findings show that $35^{\circ}C$ condition shortens the time for the development of A. suum eggs to the 8-cell-stage in comparison to $25^{\circ}C$, and suggest the possibility of accelerated transmission of this parasite, resulting from global warming and ecosystem changes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.259-263
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• 2015

The increasing prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the human population in the Republic of Korea (= Korea) is due to various reasons such as an increase in meat consumption. However, the importance of cats in transmitting T. gondii infection through oocysts to humans has seldom been assessed. A total of 300 fecal samples of stray cats captured around Seoul from June to August 2013 were examined for T. gondii B1 gene (indicating the presence of oocysts) using nested-PCR. Fourteen (4.7%) of 300 cats examined were positive for B1 gene. Female cats (7.5%) showed a higher prevalence than male cats (1.4%). Cats younger than 3 months (5.5%) showed a higher prevalence than cats (1.5%) older than 3 months. For laboratory passage of the positive samples, the fecal suspension (0.2 ml) of B1 gene positive cats was orally inoculated into experimental mice. Brain tissues of the mice were obtained after 40 days and examined for the presence of tissue cysts. Two isolates were successfully passaged (designated KNIH-1 and KNIH-2) and were molecularly analyzed using the SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences. The SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences showed high homologies with the ME49 strain (less virulent strain). The results indicated the importance of stray cats in transmitting T. gondii to humans in Korea, as revealed by detection of B1 gene in fecal samples. T. gondii isolates from cats were successfully passaged in the laboratory for the first time in Korea.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 1987

Enterobiasis is common helminthic infections found in man. But control of this disease is still troublesome because of its difficulty in the d diagnosis and prevention of infection. Considering the difficulty of accurate diagnosis of pinworm infection, which is very common and somewhat pathogenic, reevaluation of cellotape anal swab method for the diagnosis of enterobiasis was performed. A total of 147 children ranging the ages of 1-12 years in 3 orphanages in the suburbs of Seoul, Korea was subjected for this study. Repeated cellotape anal swabs were carried out against 70 children, 7 times for 3 days interval, in the morning 6am. Finally 10 mg/kg body weight pyrantel pamoates were given to all children including egg negative cases and whole stools of 3 following successive days were collected for the confirmation of residual worm ourden at the time of treatment. Cellotape anal swabs were also performed to another 77 children at 6am, 3pm, 9pm, twice for 3 days interval. The resultant findings were summarized as follows; 1) While the each time average detection rate of Enterobius egg was 28.8% in this study group, the accumulative detection rate up to 7th examination was 62.8%. The accumulative detection rate rose continuously up to 6th examination. 2) After administration of pyrantel pamoate 10 mg/kg body weight, final infection rate was increased to 72.9% by adding worm positive cases who didn't show any evidence of infection in the cellotape anal swabs. 3) Although pinworms were detected in 35 among 70 children treated, 7 cases (20%) of them were egg negative cases in 7 consecutive cellotape anal swabs. 4) Pinworms were expelleded in 14 (87.5%) among 16 children whose swab result was positive in the last examination which was done concurrently with drug administration. 5) Estimated infection rate calculated by best asymptotically normal estimate of Neuman from Moriya's modification revealed 71.5% similar to 72.9% of present results. 6) The result of anal swab performed at 6am was higher than that of 3pm or 8pm. In conclusion, cellotape anal swab method for Enterobius vermicularis infection was considered as method having relatively high positive accuracy. However to gain the reliable infection rate, at least 6 examination is required in the group with 25-30% infection rate by single swab. Moriya's modification of Neuman could be used efficiently in the mass control of this diease for the estimation of true infection rate of E. vermicularis in the sampled population.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.165-169
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• 1994

Forty cross bred ($168\;{\pm}\;28\;kg$) bull calves were offered either untreated (US) or urea ammonia treated (TS) rice straw at five levels of feeding, namely; 60, 80, 100, 120 140% of ad libitum. Ad libitum level for each animal was estimated over a period of one month, which was followed by a preliminary period of 21 days and a collection period of 15 days. The maximum organic matter intake (OMI-kg/100 kg BW) were 2.08 and 3.35 for US and TS, respectively and urea treatment increased the maximum OMI by 61% than for US. In order to reach maximum intake the amount feed refusal should be 25% for US, but with TS maximum intake was not reached even when the amount of feed refused was 39% of that consumed. The OMD of US significantly decreased with increase in OMI, whereas with TS the decrease was not significant. The inability of animals to select between stems and leaves particularly in TS might be one of the reasons for its constant digestibility. Considering the substantial increases in intake and the negative effect on digestibility of US, further trials are warranted, as well as studies to determine the practical implications.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2007

Metacercariae of Gynaecotyla squatarolae (Digenea: Microphallidae) were discovered from the shore crab, Macrophthalmus dilatatus, purchased at a market in a coastal town of Taean-Eup, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea. Their adult flukes were confirmed by experimental infection of rats. The metacercariae of G. squatarolae were elliptical ($391.1{\times}362.5{\mu}m$), and the excysted metacercariae had progenetic genital organs, including the ovary and testes. To obtain adult flukes, 6 Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 500 metacercariae each, and killed at days 2, 4, and 6 post-infection. The adult flukes were identified as G. squatarolae (Yamaguti, 1934) Yamaguti, 1939, based on morphological characters, including 2 ventral suckers (1 large and 1 small), a large genital atrium equipped with the cirrus and the metraterm, separated male and female genital pores, a transversely long cirrus pouch, and extensive vitelline follicles. In the present study, it has been first proven that the shore crab M. dilatatus is a second intermediate host for G. squatarolae in the Republic of Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2019.09a
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• pp.21-21
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• 2019

Approximately 80% of rice field in Africa conducts in rainfed (Nishimaki 2017). The rice is damaged by water stress because fields like rainfed lowland repeat drying and humidity of soil because of impossible water control. Then water stress is one of the major limiting factors for decreasing rice yield. So, in initial growth stage, quick and efficient root development is useful way to avoid drought stress by getting water from deeper soil layer with roots elongation as the hypothesis. Daniel et al (2016) reported that NERICA1 and NERICA4 show different patterns of root plasticity for drought stress. NERICA1 has greater development of lateral root in shallow soil layer, while NERICA4 has greater development in deep root elongation to underground. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of root development in initial growth stage on growing NERICA1 and NERICA4 under different soil moisture condition in rainfed lowland rice field. They were grown in same water condition until 35 days after sowing (35DAS), and after that each varieties were separated in dry and wet condition. The rice plants were grown until 60DAS. The results of soil moisture, the root extension angle, shoot dry weight and bleeding ratio showed that NERICA4 can mitigate dry stress from surface soil compered to NERICA1.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2010

The present study was conducted to quantify wood and leaf litter decomposition and nutrient release of a dominant tree species, Tectona grandis Linn. F. in a tropical dry deciduous forest of Rajasthan, Western India. The mean relative decomposition rate was maximum in the wet summer and minimum during dry summer. Rainfall and its associated variables exhibited greater control over litter decomposition than temperature. The concentrations of N and P increased in decomposing litter with increasing retrieval days. Mass loss was negatively correlated with N and P concentrations. The monthly weight loss was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with soil moisture and rainfall in both wood and leaf litter. Tectona grandis was found to be most suitable tree species for plantation programmes in dry tropical regions as it has high litter deposition and decomposition rates and thus it has advantages in degraded soil restoration and sustainable land management.