• Title/Summary/Keyword: e-health

Search Result 5,887, Processing Time 0.037 seconds

Development of Enrichment Semi-nested PCR for Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E, and F and Its Application to Korean Environmental Samples

  • Shin, Na-Ri;Yoon, So-Yeon;Shin, Ji-Hun;Kim, Yun Jeong;Rhie, Gi-eun;Kim, Bong Su;Seong, Won Keun;Oh, Hee-Bok
    • Molecules and Cells
    • /
    • 제24권3호
    • /
    • pp.329-337
    • /
    • 2007
  • An enrichment semi-nested PCR procedure was developed for detection of Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E, and F. It was applied to sediment samples to examine the prevalence of C. botulinum in the Korean environment. The first pair of primers for the semi-nested PCR was designed using a region shared by the types A, B, E, and F neurotoxin gene sequences, and the second round employed four nested primers complementary to the BoNT/A, /B, /E, and /F encoding genes for simultaneous detection of the four serotypes. Positive results were obtained from the PCR analysis of five of 44 sediments (11%) collected from Yeong-am Lake in Korea; all were identified as deriving from type B neurotoxin (bontb) genes. Two of the C. botulinum type B organisms were isolated, and their bontb genes sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences of BoNT/B showed 99.5 and 99.8% identity with the amino acid sequence of accession no. AB084152. Our data suggest that semi-nested PCR is a useful tool for detecting C. botulinum in sediments, and renders it practicable to conduct environmental surveys.

Wearable Intelligent Systems for E-Health

  • Poon, Carmen C.Y.;Liu, Qing;Gao, Hui;Lin, Wan-Hua;Zhang, Yuan-Ting
    • Journal of Computing Science and Engineering
    • /
    • 제5권3호
    • /
    • pp.246-256
    • /
    • 2011
  • Due to the increasingly aging population, there is a rising demand for assistive living technologies for the elderly to ensure their health and well-being. The elderly are mostly chronic patients who require frequent check-ups of multiple vital signs, some of which (e.g., blood pressure and blood glucose) vary greatly according to the daily activities that the elderly are involved in. Therefore, the development of novel wearable intelligent systems to effectively monitor the vital signs continuously over a 24 hour period is in some cases crucial for understanding the progression of chronic symptoms in the elderly. In this paper, recent development of Wearable Intelligent Systems for e-Health (WISEs) is reviewed, including breakthrough technologies and technical challenges that remain to be solved. A novel application of wearable technologies for transient cardiovascular monitoring during water drinking is also reported. In particular, our latest results found that heart rate increased by 9 bpm (P < 0.001) and pulse transit time was reduced by 5 ms (P < 0.001), indicating a possible rise in blood pressure, during swallowing. In addition to monitoring physiological conditions during daily activities, it is anticipated that WISEs will have a number of other potentially viable applications, including the real-time risk prediction of sudden cardiovascular events and deaths.

유통되는 쇠고기에서 분리한 대장균의 항생제 내성 조사.연구 (Study on antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from domestic beef on sale)

  • 김홍태;이우원;정경태;이승미;손은정;이강록;김금향;이동수;이근우
    • 한국동물위생학회지
    • /
    • 제31권1호
    • /
    • pp.17-29
    • /
    • 2008
  • In this study, antimicrobial resistance of E coli isolated from domestic beef on sale in Busan and Gyeongnam province was investigated from March to October 2007. A total of 600 beef samples were collected for the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, and 92 (15.3%) strains of E coli were isolated. Antimicrobial resistance test was carried out by agar disc diffusion method with 17 antimicrobials. In general, E coli isolates showed the highest antimicrobial resistance to doxycycline (73.9%), followed by tetracycline (70.7%) andcefazolin (63.0%). Then they showed higher resistance to several antimicrobials like norfloxacin (48.9%). However, They had low antimicrobial resistance to amikacin (4.3%), colistin (1.1%). Of 92 isolates, 82 (89.1%) were resistant to more than 2 antimicrobials. Among 17 antimicrobials examined, tetracyclines were the most resistant, followed by cephalosporins, quinolone. The resistance was seemed to be correlated to amounts of antimicrobial use. In the result of this study, we suggest that there be need to regulate the abuse of antimicrobial on food-producing animals in Korea because the concern on antimicrobial resistant is gradually increased worldwide.

Patterns of Antimicrobial Resistance and Detection of mecA Gene from Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Healthcare Facilities and U.S. Military Hospital in Korea

  • Sin Chin-Su;Lee Gyu-Sang;Lim Kwan-Hun;Kim Jong-Bae
    • 대한의생명과학회지
    • /
    • 제11권4호
    • /
    • pp.447-453
    • /
    • 2005
  • A total of 108 strains of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) clinical isolates was collected from $121^{st}$ general hospital (U.S. military hospital), Korean healthcare facility from January to March in 2005 and Wonju Christian hospital in 1999. Antimicrobial susceptibility test by Vitek System and MIC test using oxacillin and cephalothin stripes by E-test were executed. PCR based detection of mecA gene was performed on the all of MRSA clinical isolates, too. MRSA clinical isolates were characterized with antimicrobial resistance patterns, PCR based detection of mecA gene and validation of the multiplex PCR strategy of SCCmec among clinical isolates.

  • PDF

Hematological Aspects in A Endotoxemic Young Rabbit Model

  • Park, Seok-Cheol;Kwon, Heun-Young;Kim, Jai-Young;Hwang, Soo-Myung;Kim, Tae-Un;Seong, Hee-Kyung;Kim, Yang-Weon;Lee, Won-Jae
    • 대한의생명과학회지
    • /
    • 제8권3호
    • /
    • pp.115-125
    • /
    • 2002
  • Gram-negative septicemia, which continues to be a serious clinical problem, is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Endotoxin of gram-negative bacteria is a pivotal pathogen of sepsis. To understand the effect of endotoxin on hematological aspect and the time course in early childhood, this study was designed with experimental septic model of young rabbits (8 week-old). Rabbits were divided into control (n=7) and endotoxin group (0.50 mg/kg of endotoxin). The endotoxin group was subdivided into six groups by the sampling times: 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hr-group (E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$, E-G$_{12}$, E-G$_{24}$, E-G$_{48}$ and E-G$_{72hrs}$, each n=7). The evaluation of CBC, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen concentration, coagulation factors and D-dimer were taken from the bloods. The number of leukocytes was lower in E-G$_{3}$ and E-G$_{6hrs}$ (due to pantocytopenia), whereas it was higher in E-G$_{24}$ and E-G$_{48}$ (due to neutrophilia and/or lymphophilia) than in control group (P<0.05). Platelet counts in E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$, E-G$_{12}$, E-G$_{24}$ and E-G$_{48hrs}$ were lower than those of control group (P<0.05). Normoblast counts in E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$, E-G$_{12}$, E-G$_{24}$ and E-G$_{48hrs}$ were higher than those of control group (p<0.01). APTT in E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$, E-G$_{12}$, E-G$_{24}$ and E-G$_{72hrs}$ were longer while PT in E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$, E-G$_{48}$ and E-G$_{72hrs}$ were higher than those of control group (p<0.05). Fibrinogen concentrations were lower in E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$ and E-G$_{12}$ but higher in E-G$_{48}$ and E-G$_{72hrs}$ than those of control (p<0.05). Intrinsic coagulation factors (XII, XI, IX, VIII) in all endotoxin groups were significantly lower than those of control group (p<0.05). Extrinsic coagulation factor (X, VII, V, II) were lower in E-G$_{3}$, E-G$_{6}$, E-G$_{12}$ and E-G$_{24hrs}$ whereas they were higher in E-G$_{48}$ and E-G$_{72hrs}$ than in control group (p<0.05). D-dimer concentrations in E-G$_{48}$ and E-G$_{72hrs}$ were higher than those of control group (P<0.001). We concluded that endotoxin led to extensive hematological disturbances including disseminated intravascular coagulation in the young rabbits and that this pathologic condition in the infant and childhood groups will cause the grave results.

  • PDF

Differential Cytokine and Immunoglobulin Expressions in the Small Intestine of Echinostoma hortense Infected BALB/c Mice

  • Jo, Yoon-Kyung;Lee, Dong-Sup;Kim, Sung-In;Lee, Ji-Sook;Oh, Ji-Eun;Sung, Ho-Joong
    • 대한의생명과학회지
    • /
    • 제18권3호
    • /
    • pp.254-259
    • /
    • 2012
  • Infections involving Echinostoma hortense (E. hortense) are considered to more severe than infections caused by other heterophyids. Although parasite expulsion by host immune responses attenuates the symptoms of infection, the detailed mechanisms of the host immune response need to be determined, especially in local immune responses involving cytokine and immunoglobulin expressions. We infected BALB/c mice with E. hortense and examined recovery rates together with expressions of multiple cytokines and immunoglobulins in the villi and crypts of the small intestine using immunohistochemistry. We observed a close correlation between worm expulsion rates and cytokine/immunoglobulin expressions in E. hortense infected mice. This study contributes to an understanding of the relationship between the immune response and parasite expulsion in hosts.

병원행정직의 전자메일 사용의 영향요인 및 조직효과성 관계 연구 (The Determinants of E-mail Use and it's Effects on the Organizational Effectiveness of Hospital Administrative Workers)

  • 이영숙;서영준;정애숙
    • 한국병원경영학회지
    • /
    • 제8권1호
    • /
    • pp.24-41
    • /
    • 2003
  • This study was conducted to investigate the determinants of e-mail use and its effects on the organizational effectiveness of hospital administrative workers. Data were collected from 147 administrative workers at 2 university hospitals in Seoul using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. The major findings of the study are as follows: 1. There are significant differences in the use of e-mail for business purpose in terms of the gender, age, status, and education level. Workers who are men, over 30s, high status, and highly educated were more likely to use the e-mail. As for the private use, there are significant differences only in terms of the age level. 2. The more job characteristics need to use e-mail, the more workers have computer skills, and the more favorable the organizational culture is to using the e-mail, the more frequently the workers use the e-mail for both business and private purposes. 3. Job characteristics and personal computer skills have significant positive effects on the use of e-mail for business purpose. However, for the private purpose, only personal computer skills have a significant effect on the use of e-mail. 4. The level of the e-mail use for the business purpose has a significant effect on the work productivity, communication, and job satisfaction, while the level of the e-mail use for the private purpose has a significant effect only on the communication and job satisfaction. The implications for hospital administrators and suggestions for further research are discussed.

  • PDF