• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2010

This paper suggests new route plan cost calculation and cost-effective route plan algorithm and architecture for the new city traffic information system when it is operated nationwide. New algorithm and architecture estimates cost with traffic speeds which is supported for all different lanes, stratifies logical layer which process different levels' traffic information with diverse traffic patterns and provides different traffic information in the few levels. Also suggested new algorithm supports drivers' customized traffic information through both-way communications and plans routes effectively based on the distance between drivers' start position and destination and different levels which start and end position located. It proposes additional research items and requirement for integration between different cities' traffic information system which the national police agency invested and led.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.149-155
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• 2013

Recently, automobile traffic systems are evolving toward Intelligent Traffic Systems(ITS) with smart sensor technology and collaboration between traffic systems and external ones. On the contrary, Korean ITS services have little improvement comparing with other communication services. The main causes of this phenomenon are due to already allocation of ITS recommended frequency band to broadcasting services, and also dedication of DSRC frequency band over ISM band resulting in interferences. This paper provides the analysis of current Korean ITS technology status, and two suggestions to activate the ITS industry. First, need to fix the ITS standard combining WAVE and DSRC specifications soon. Second, ITS frequency allocation to complete its standard implementation in near time frame.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2020

Fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) have become a major problem in urinary tract infections (UTIs). The purpose of this study was to compare the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) and plasmid mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants of FQ resistant UPEC between 1989 and 2010-2014. A total of 681 strains of UPEC clinical isolates was collected from Korean healthcare facility in 1989 (123 strains) and in 2010-2014 (558 strains). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of FQs were determined by agar dilution method. QRDRs (gyrA, gyrB, parC and parE) and PMQR determinants (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, aac(6')-Ib-cr and qepA) were analyzed polymerase chain reaction and sequencing method. Among 681 isolates, FQ resistant UPEC were 3 strains (2.4%) in 1989 isolates and 220 strains (39.4%) in 2010-2014 isolates. The rate of the FQ resistant UPEC strains in 2010-2014 isolates was increased than that of in 1989 isolates. UPEC isolates from 1989 and 2010-2014 were shown to carry mutations in gyrA (Ser83 and Asp87), gyrB (Ser464 and Thr469), parC (Ser80 and Glu84) and parE (Glu460, Ser458, Ile464 and Leu445). The most common mutations of QRDRs in 1989 isolates were Ser83Leu and Asp87Gly in gyrA and Ser80Ile in parC (2 strains: 66.7%) while those in 2010-2014 isolates were Ser83Leu and Asp87Asn in gyrA and Ser80Il2 and Glu84Val in parC (88 strains: 40.0%). PMQR determinants were detected only in 2010-2014 UPEC strains (47 strains: 21.4%).

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.159-170
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare antibiotic resistance patterns between first urinary tract infection (UTI) and recurrent UTI groups and to obtain information regarding empirical antibiotic selection for treating recurrent UTI. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 148 children treated for UTIs from January 2009 to June 2016. The patients were divided into two groups: first UTI (N = 148) and recurrent UTI (17 patients and 20 episodes). Results: In both groups, Escherichia coli was the most frequent causative organism, accounting for 89.9% and 75.0% in the first and recurrent UTI groups, respectively. When E. coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae was the causative organism, extended-spectrum ${\beta}-lactamase$ (ESBL)-producing organisms were more frequent in the recurrent UTI group (17.6%) than in the first UTI group (14.0%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.684). Cefotaxime was the most frequently used first-line empirical antibiotic in both groups. In the first UTI and recurrent UTI groups, 7.4% and 15.0% of patients were treated with intravenous antibiotics as definitive therapy, respectively (P = 0.250). Fifteen out of 17 patients having a second UTI had different causative organisms or antibiotic susceptibility patterns compared to their previous episode. Conclusions: Escherichia coli was the most frequent causative organism in the recurrent UTI group. There were no differences in the proportion of ESBL-producing organisms between the first UTI and recurrent UTI groups. Therefore, when a UTI recurs in children, the antibiotics effective on the most common causative organism might be administered as empirical antibiotics.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.7
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• pp.347-354
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• 2021

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has emerged as a valuable biomarker of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of urinary NGAL (uNGAL) with those of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count for predicting UTI and acute pyelonephritis (APN) in febrile children. Methods: The medical charts of children undergoing uNGAL measurements between November 2017 and August 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with a suspected or diagnosed UTIs were included. The diagnostic accuracies of uNGAL, serum CRP, and WBC count for detecting UTI and APN were investigated. Independent predictors of UTI and APN were investigated using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 321 children were enrolled in this study. The uNGAL levels were higher in the UTI group (n=157) than in the non-UTI group (n=164) (P<0.05). Among children with a UTI, uNGAL levels were higher in the APN group (n=70) than, the non-APN group (n=87) (P<0.05). In the multivariate analysis, uNGAL was independently associated with UTI and APN (both P<0.05). Serum CRP and WBC count were not correlated with the presence of UTI and APN. Receiver operating curve analyses showed that the uNGAL level had the highest area under the curve (AUC) for predicting UTI and APN, respectively (AUC, uNGAL vs. CRP vs. WBC count, 0.860 vs. 0.608 vs. 0.669 for UTI; 0.780 vs. 0.680 vs. 0.639 for APN, all P<0.05, respectively). The predictive values and likelihood ratios of uNGAL were superior to those of serum CRP and WBC count for detecting UTI and APN at each cutoff level. Conclusion: UNGAL may be more useful than serum CRP and WBC count for identifying and assessing UTI in febrile children.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2019

Purpose: We aimed to determine characteristics of host, causative organisms, and antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria in pediatric patients with UTI living in metropolitan area of Korea. Methods: Retrospective investigation was done for the causative organisms of UTI in 683 pediatric cases treated at Ajou University Hospital from 2012 to 2017. Patients were classified into Escherichia coli and non-E. coli group, where E. coli group was subdivided into ESBL(+) and ESBL(-) groups based on whether the bacteria could produce extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). Antibiotic susceptibility of the causative organism was also determined. Results: A total of 683 UTIs occurred in 550 patients, of which 463 (67.8%) were first-time infection and 87 (32.2%) were recurrent ones (2-7 recurrences, 2.52 average), and 64.9% were male and 35.1% were female. The most common causative organism was E. coli (77.2%) and ESBL(+) E. coli was found in 126 cases. The susceptibility of E. coli to 3rd or 4th generation cephalosporin was relatively higher than that to ampicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. ESBL(+) E. coli showed higher resistance rate to 3rd or 4th generation cephalosporin than ESBL(-) E. coli. Conclusion: New treatment guideline should be considered due to the incidence of ESBL(+) E. coli increased up to one quarter of UTI cases.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.84-91
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• 2021

Purpose: We aimed to study the association of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (pNGAL) and leukocyte differential count in children with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods: Medical records of 154 children aged 1 month to 13 years with febrile UTI who were hospitalized were retrospectively reviewed. Associations between pNGAL levels and blood leukocyte differential count at admission and after 48 hours of treatment were investigated in children with or without acute pyelonephritis (APN). Results: The APN group (n=82) showed higher pNGAL levels, neutrophil count, monocyte count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), compared to the non-APN group (n=72) (all P<0.05). After adjustment for age and sex, pNGAL showed positive correlations with neutrophil count and NLR in both groups (all P<0.05). Additionally, it was correlated with the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) only in the APN group (P<0.05). Before and after treatment, pNGAL was positively correlated with neutrophil count, NLR, and MLR in patients with APN while it was related with neutrophil count and NLR in those without APN (all P<0.05). Areas under the receiver operating curve of pNGAL, neutrophil count, NLR, and MLR for predicting APN were 0.804, 0.760, 0.730, and 0.636, respectively (all P<0.05). Only pNGAL was independently associated with the presence of APN in a multivariable logistic regression analysis (P<0.05). Conclusion: In children with febrile UTIs, pNGAL might be associated with leukocyte differential count and the presence of APN.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) in children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and to compare the causative uropathogen and antibiotic susceptibility between the first and recurrent UTI episodes. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children with VUR who had recurrent UTI. Group 1 included patients in whom the same pathogen caused the first and recurrent UTI episodes. Group 2 included patients in whom different pathogens caused the first and recurrent UTI episodes. Results: During a 13-year study period (2005-2018), 77 children with VUR experienced at least one episode of UTI. Among these, 47 patients (61.0%) had recurrent UTI. Of the children with recurrent UTI, 19 (40.4%) were in group 1 and 28 (59.6%) were in group 2. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated uropathogen (n=37; 39.4%) in both episodes of recurrent UTIs, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=18; 19.1%), Enterococcus faecalis (n=14; 14.9%), and Enterobacter aerogenes (n=7; 7.4%). Although the difference was not significant, the rate of resistance to the antibiotics ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole increased in patients with the second episode of E. coli recurrence in group 1, and that to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam, and meropenem increased in children with the second episode of E. aerogenes recurrence in group 1. Conclusions: When selecting empirical antibiotics for recurrent UTI in children with VUR, it is important to consider that the pathogen and antimicrobial susceptibility of the previous UTI are not always the same in recurrent UTIs.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2012

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections and is predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). UPEC strains generally possess several genes encoding virulent factors, which are mostly adhesins, toxins, bacteriocin and siderophores. E. coli is composed of four main phylogenetic group (A, B1, B2, D) and virulent extra-intestinal strains mainly belong to groups B2 and D. Prescription of ciprofloxacin, a kind of fluoroquinolone group antibiotics, is increasing now a days, but resistance to this drug is also increasing. A total of 188 strains of E. coli were collected. Thirteen strains were collected from healthy students in 2011 and 175 strains from patients with urinary tract infection in 2010. Virulence factor genes (papC, fimG/H, sfaD/E, hlyA, cnf1, and usp) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for phylogenetic group (A, B1, B2, D) detection. Ciprofloxacin susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion method. The identified virulence factors (VFs), phylogenetic groups and ciprofloxacin resistance in 13 E. coli strains isolated from healthy students were papC (15.4%), fimG/H (76.9%), sfaD/E (30.8%), hlyA (23.1%), cnf1 (23.1%), usp (7.7%), phylogenetic group A (23%), B1 (8%), B2 (46%), D (23%) and ciprofloxacin resistance (7.7%), while those of in 175 E. coli strains isolated from patients with UTI were papC (41.1%), fimG/H (92.5%), sfaD/E (30.3%), hlyA (10.3%), cnf1 (30.3%), usp (27.4%), phylogenetic group A (9.1%), B1 (5.1%), B2 (60.6%), D (25.1%) and ciprofloxacin resistance (29.7%). In this study, 10 out of 13 E. coli strains (76.9%) from healthy students were found to possess more than one virulence factor associated with adhesion. In addition, one E. coli strain isolated from healthy students who had never been infected with UPEC showed ciprofloxacin resistance. According to these results between the virulence factors and phylogenetic groups it was closely associated, and UPEC strains isolated from patients showed high level of ciprofloxacin resistance.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 2015

Purpose: We investigated trends in antibiotic resistance for gram-negative bacteria in infants with a urinary tract infection (UTI) over 15 years at a single institution. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for children younger than 24 months who visited the emergency room and were diagnosed with a UTI between January 2000 and December 2014. We selected urine culture data that grew Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Baseline clinical information and results of antimicrobial susceptibility tests were analyzed by dividing the 15-year study time frame into three periods (A: 2000-2004, B: 2005-2009, and C: 2010-2014). Results: During the study period, 478 applicable children were identified (E. coli, 89.7% and K. pneumoniae, 10.3%). Antibiotic resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was increased from period A to period C (A, 2.1%; B, 8.3%; C, 8.8%; P=0.025). Resistance to quinolones also showed a steady pattern during periods A to C, although it was not statistically significant (A, 7.9%; B, 9.7%; C, 12.4%; P=0.221). The incidence of Extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase (ESBL)-producing gram-negative bacteria increased from period A to period C (A, 1.4%; B, 7.6%; C, 8.2%; P=0.012). Conclusion: This study revealed that the common uropathogens E. coli and K. pneumoniae experienced increasing resistance rates against third-generation cephalosporins and a constant antibiotic resistance to quinolones in children younger than 24 months. We also showed a recent increased incidence of ESBL-producing gram-negative bacteria in patients with community-acquired UTIs. Therefore, it is necessary to actively surveil resistance in order to properly select empirical antibiotics.