• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.700-704
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• 2007

In the recent, increased concern has been focused on the pharmacology and clinical utility of herbal extracts and derivatives as a drug or adjunct to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Here we investigated the role of the extract of Anethi Fructus in the expression of inflammatory mediators, surface molecule, and related receptors in vitro. In murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages of C57BL/6N mice, water extract of Anethi Fructus increased the production of secretary tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a and Nitric oxide (NO), and the expression level of CD14, LPS co-receptor and CD86, co-stimulatory molecule compared to negative natural extract ex vivo. The water extract of Anethi Fructus increased the production of interferon (IFN)-g from splenocytes. Also, water extract of Anethi Fructus increased ConA-induced cell proliferation. These results suggest that water extract of Anethi Fructus may enhance the immune response through immune modulation of macrophage and lymphocytes.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.143-145
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• 2005

Lamerin breed of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. for Northeastern India hosts a vertically transmitted microsporidian parasite for generations, which does not harm significantly the cocoon production. The transversally infected progenies do not exhibit marked external sign or symptom. The microspordian causes inapparent infection and over $(80\%)$ of the infected progeny survives and spin cocoons. There is possibility of co-existence between the breed and the associated micosporidian parasite. To evaluate the impact of the microsporidian on breed the present study was conducted in respect of tranovarial transmitted (observed as T1), secondarily infected (observed as T2) and healthy silkworm (observed as T3). The larval and pupal mortality was $12\%$ and $6\%$ in T1 and $10\%$ and $3\%$ in T2 batch, while in case of T3 batch there was no mortality. Significant changes were also observed in single cocoon weight, single shell weight, denier, reelibility, raw silk recovery $\%$ and neetness. There is no significant impact of the infection on the fecundity and hatchability. The hatchability of the eggs laid by healthy or infected moths are equall as much as control but the progeny had the infection transmitted from the parent.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2020

Two suckling piglets, 4 days and 10 days of age, showed lethargy and dyspnea after birth and mortality had been increased after incoming gilts from breeding farm. At necropsy, the lungs showed diffuse fail to collapse with rubbery consistency, edematous dilatation of interlobular septa, and lobular consolidation with purple red color. Heart was diffuse pale in color and had several irregular linear-shaped macules or patches. Histopathologically, diffuse interstitial pneumonia with the proliferation of type II pneumocytes was present in the lungs of 2 piglets. Alveolar lumens contained necrotic cellular debris derived from neutrophils and macrophages. Multifocal hemorrhage and necrotizing pneumonia with protozoan tachyzoites were observed in the lungs. Severe multifocal to confluent necrotic myocarditis, necrotic encephalitis, and necrotic adrenalitis with intralesional protozoan tachyzoites were observed in piglets. According to immunohistochemical analysis (IHC), Toxoplasma (T.) gondii tachyzoites antigens were confirmed in lung, heart, brain, and adrenal gland. And porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antigens were also detected in the cytoplasm of macrophages in lungs using IHC. Based on the gross, histopathologic and immunohistochemical features, two suckling piglets were diagnosed as co-infection of T. gondii and PRRSV.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1515-1526
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• 2022

Eukaryotic chromatin is highly organized in the 3D nuclear space and dynamically regulated in response to environmental stimuli. This genomic organization is arranged in a hierarchical fashion to support various cellular functions, including transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Like other host cellular mechanisms, viral pathogens utilize and modulate host chromatin architecture and its regulatory machinery to control features of their life cycle, such as lytic versus latent status. Combined with previous research focusing on individual loci, recent global genomic studies employing conformational assays coupled with high-throughput sequencing technology have informed models for host and, in some cases, viral 3D chromosomal structure re-organization during infection and the contribution of these alterations to virus-mediated diseases. Here, we review recent discoveries and progress in host and viral chromatin structural dynamics during infection, focusing on a subset of DNA (human herpesviruses and HPV) as well as RNA (HIV, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2) viruses. An understanding of how host and viral genomic structure affect gene expression in both contexts and ultimately viral pathogenesis can facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.566-573
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• 2022

Purpose: This study attempted to verify the effectiveness of the application of air sterilizers in elementary schools at risk of group infection among vulnerable groups in order to address fears of new infectious diseases that have increased since the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Coronavirus infection-19 (COVID-19). Method: One air sterilizer was installed in each classroom, cafeteria, and bathroom of an elementary school in Seoul, and surface and air samples were collected at a distance of 2m from the air sterilizer, and the bacterial reduction effect was analyzed compared to the uninstalled control group. Result: The sterilization effect on the surface was less than 2log CFU/cm² in both the control group and the test group, and the test group showed 54 to 87% less general bacterial colony formation than the control group. In addition, the sterilization effect in the air differed depending on the location of the air sterilizer, and the wall installation showed a reduction effect of up to 91% compared to the control group, and the central installation showed a reduction effect of up to 93%. Conclusion: As a result of the study, it is expected that the prevention of infectious diseases can be increased by maintaining the current quarantine program in elementary schools that conduct regular disinfection while applying air sterilizers. In addition, it is considered desirable to facilitate the inflow of air into the air sterilizer.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2023

Background: Pseudotyped virus systems that incorporate viral proteins have been widely employed for the rapid determination of the effectiveness and neutralizing activity of drug and vaccine candidates in biosafety level 2 facilities. We report an efficient method for producing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus with dual luciferase and fluorescent protein reporters. Moreover, using the established method, we also aimed to investigate whether Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), a valuable Korean herbal medicine, can attenuate infectivity of the pseudotyped virus. Methods: A pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-2pv) was constructed and efficiently produced using lentivirus vector systems available in the public domain by the introduction of critical mutations in the cytoplasmic tail of the spike protein. KRG extract was dose-dependently treated to Calu-3 cells during SARS2-pv treatment to evaluate the protective activity against SARS-CoV-2. Results: The use of Calu-3 cells or the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in HEK293T cells enabled SARS-2pv infection of host cells. Coexpression of transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2), which is the activator of spike protein, with ACE2 dramatically elevated luciferase activity, confirming the importance of the TMPRSS2-mediated pathway during SARS-CoV-2 entry. Our pseudovirus assay also revealed that KRG elicited resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung cells, suggesting its beneficial health effect. Conclusion: The method demonstrated the production of SARS-2pv for the analysis of vaccine or drug candidates. When KRG was assessed by the method, it protected host cells from coronavirus infection. Further studies will be followed for demonstrating this potential benefit.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.80-82
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• 2004

A 3 month-old male dog with clinical signs of anorexia, soft stool, ocular and nasal discharge, cough and respiratory distress was submitted to the Cheju National University for diagnosis. At necropsy, tan to pulp]e-red sublobar to lobar consolidations were presented in apical and cardiac lobe of lung. Histopathologically, severe diffuse bronchointerstitial pneumonia with necrotic bronchiolitis was noted in the lung. The demyelinating encephalitis and astrocytosis were presented in cerebellum and cerebrum. Numerous round, ovoid or cluster of tachyzoites were also identified in alveolar lumen, alveolar wall and cytoplasm of macrophages in the lung. The orgasnisms were demonstrated as Toxoplasma (T) gondii by immunohistochemistry. Intranuclear or intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies were seen in the glial cells of the cerebellum. Canine distemper virus (CDV) specific antigens were demonstrated in the cerebellum by the immunohistochemistry. In our knowledge, this is believed to be the first confirmed report of co-infection of CDV and T gondii in dog in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.360-362
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• 2006

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an agent of emerging infectious disease, and a recognized cause of diarrhea in some patients. Also, the flagellated protozoan, Giardia intestinalis, induces a diarrheal illness of the small intestine. Cases of cyclosporiasis are frequently missed, primarily due to the fact that the parasite can be quite difficult to detect in human fecal samples, despite an increasing amount of data regarding this parasite. On the other hand, G. intestinalis can be readily recognized via the microscopic visualization of its trophozoite or cyst forms in stained preparations or unstained wet mounts. In this report, we describe an uncommon case of co-infection with G. intestinalis and C. cayetanensis in an immunocompetent patient with prolonged diarrhea, living in a non-tropical region of Turkey.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2017

C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are not generally associated with viral infections. This study investigated the changes in the CRP level caused by an infection from respiratory virus (RV). Nasopharyngeal samples from hospitalized patients with suspected RV infection were used to measure the CRP levels, virus load, virus-virus co-infection, age, sex, and length of hospital stay (LOS). Abnormal CRP levels were detected in 62.3% (3,608 out of 5,788) of all RV-positive samples. The percentage of patients with abnormal CRP levels tended to increase with age. Furthermore, LOS in patients with abnormal CRP levels was significantly longer than that in patients with normal CRP levels. The frequency of elevated CRP levels differed according to the causative virus and the frequency of abnormal levels increased with age. Moreover, LOS was longer in those with abnormal CRP levels. These data provide important insights into the role of CRP levels in RV infection.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.127-135
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• 2020

Coronavirus is generally known to cause minor respiratory diseases in animals and humans. However, some coronavirus genus is reported to cause animal-to-human interspecies infection. Since the end of 2019, a new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection is spreading rapidly throughout the world, leading to the declaration of the pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite various clinical studies to counter COVID-19 infection, the total confirmed cases and death rates are still accumulating. To break down this new threat, we should pay attention to newly revealed information based on scientific facts. In this review, we introduced the clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and treatment of patients infected with COVID-19. Moreover, we highlighted the correlation between COVID-19 severity and patients with underlying diseases. Potential risks associated with COVID-19 can be differed depending on the condition of patients and can cause pulmonary complications. Therefore, lung capacity exams are expected to help predict the progression of the disease along with previously established detection methods such as molecular diagnostics and immunoassay. Although physiological research hasn't yet been emphasized to evaluate COVID-19 infection, this review is expected to be valuable to give new inspiration to deal with COVID-19 which might strike again in the future.