• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제61권2호
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• pp.202-209
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• 2023

Lophomonas blattarum is an anaerobic protozoan living in the intestine of cockroaches and house dust mites, with ultramicroscopic characteristics such as the presence of a parabasal body, axial filament, and absence of mitochondria. More than 200 cases of Lophomonas infection of the respiratory tract have been reported worldwide. However, the current diagnosis of such infection depends only on light microscopic morphological findings from respiratory secretions. In this study, we attempted to provide more robust evidence of protozoal infection in an immunocompromised patient with atypical pneumonia, positive for Lophomonas-like protozoal cell forms. A direct search of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and metagenomic next-generation sequencing did not prove the presence of protozoal infection. PCR results were not validated with sufficient rigor, while de novo assembly and taxonomic classification results did not confirm the presence of an unidentified pathogen. The TEM results implied that such protozoal forms in light microscopy are actually non-detached ciliated epithelial cells. After ruling out infectious causes, the patient's final diagnosis was drug-induced pneumonitis. These findings underscore the lack of validation in the previously utilized diagnostic methods, and more evidence in the presence of L. blattarum is required to further prove its pathogenicity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.390-394
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• 2004

The genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybean contains the following introduced DNA sequences: the EPSPS (5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) gene from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4, the 35S promoter from the cauliflower mosaic virus, and the NOS terminator from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In the present study, detection of these introduced DNAs was performed by amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A multiplex PCR method was also applied to prevent false positive results. When primers for 35S promoter, nos3', CTP(chloroplast transit peptide), and CP4 EPSPS (EPSPS from Agrobacterium sp. CP4) were used, positive results were obtained in PCR reactions using DNA from genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybeans. There were no false positive results when using DNA from non-genetically modified soybeans. The CP4 EPSPS gene was detected when less than 125 pg glyphosate-tolerant soybean DNA was amplified. Lectin Lel and psb A were amplified from both non-genetically modified and genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybean DNA. Multiplex PCR was performed using different primer sets for actin Sacl, 35S promoter and CP4 EPSPS. The actin gene was detectable in both non-genetically modified and glyphosate-tolerant soybeans as a constant endogenous gene. Target DNAs for the 35S promoter, and CP4 EPSPS were detected in samples containing 0.01-0.1% glyphosate-tolerant soybean, although there were variations depending on primers by multiplex PCR. Soybean seeds from five plants of non-genetically modified soybean were co-cultivated for six months with those of genetically modified soybean, and they were analyzed by PCR. As a result, they were not positive for 35S promoter, nos3' or CP4 EPSPS. Therefore, these results suggest there was no natural crossing of genes between glyphosate-tolerant and non-genetically modified soybean during co-cultivation, which indicates that gene transfer between these plants is unlikely to occur in nature.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.114-120
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• 2018

Purpose: Routine screening for toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (TORCH) in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA) neonates has become a common practice. However, the incidence of TORCH varies across countries, and the cost of TORCH testing may be disadvantageous compared to disease-specific screening. To evaluate the efficacy of TORCH screening, the medical charts of IUGR or SGA neonates born in a single institution in Bucheon, Korea from 2011 to 2015 were reviewed. Methods: The clinical data of the 126 IUGR or SGA neonates were gathered, including gestational age, Apgar scores, neonatal sonographic findings, chromosome study, morbidities, developmental follow-up, and growth catch-up. Maternal factors including underlying maternal disease and fetal sonography were collected, and placental findings were recorded when available. TORCH screening was done using serum IgM, CMV urine culture, quantification of CMV DNA with real-time polymerase chain reaction, and rapid plasma reagin qualitative test for syphilis. Tests were repeated only for those with positive results. Results: Of the 119 TORCH screenings, only one was positive for toxoplasmosis IgM. This result was deemed false positive due to negative IgM on repeated testing and the absence of clinical symptoms. Conclusion: Considering the incidence and risk of TORCH in Korea, the financial burden of TORCH screening, and the single positive TORCH finding in our study, we suggest disease-specific screening based on maternal history and the clinical symptoms of the neonate. Regarding CMV, which may present asymptomatically, universal screening may be appropriate upon cost-benefit analysis.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.1032-1037
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• 1994

A simple, reproducible , and accurate enzymatic method using a cholesterol assay kit was developed to quantify total cholesterol content in egg yolk. Total egg yolk lipid was extracted with hexane : isopropanol(3 : 2, v/v) mixture. Samples containing various amount of the total lipid(0-3mg) in optically identifical culture tubes were reacted for 10 min in a water bath (37$^{\circ}C$) with the enzyme solution (5ml) from the cholesterol assay kit. Cholesterol content of the reaction mixturesin culture tubes was spectrophotometrically determined by two different ways : (1) using the culture tube as a curvette(designate culture tube method ; CTM) and (2) the quartz cvette containing the reaction mixture transferred from the culture tube (designate standard cvette method, SCM). CTM revealed lower cholesterol content in 0.1-1.0mg lipid sample range that SCM did, but not significant. For more than 2.0mg lipid sample, CTM gave significantly (p<0.01) lower cholesterol content relative to that by SCM, suggesting that SCM give a false positive result from the sample containing more than 2 mg lipid due to the interference of absorbance by lipid dispersed in the reaction solution . Cholesterol content of less than 1.0mg lipid sample by CTM was proportional to the amount of lipid used, but its linear relationship was not seen in more than 2mg lipid sample. Thus, to determine the appropriate lipid amounts (mg) analyzed . A constant level (41$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg) of cholesterol concentration was observed from the sample containing 0.1-1mg lipid. after which the cholesterol level was dropped to less than 41$\mu\textrm{g}$ /mg. Cholesterol concentration in egg yolk samples quantified by CTM was in accordance with that by GC method. These results suggest that CTM is an useful method for the quantification of cholesterol in egg yolk lipid and other lipids as well.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.31-39
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• 2014

본 연구에서는 FCV 현탁액에 물리, 화학적 위생처리 후 복합효소처리라는 전처리과정을 적용한 뒤 real-time RT-PCR법을 이용하여 살균효능을 분석하였다. RT-PCR 이전에 $37^{\circ}C$에서 30분 동안 PK와 RNase A를 처리함으로써 UV, 열, 염소, 에탄올, 과초산계열 제품에 의해 불활성화 된 바이러스들은 음성 결과를 나타내었고, real-time RTP-CR법을 통해 살균 효능을 정량분석한 결과, 복합효소처리를 했을 경우 무처리구보다 더 높은 살균 효능을 보이는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 이로써 Nuanualsuwan S. 등의 선행연구에서와 같이 PK와 RNase A로 전처리하는 단계를 통하여 물리, 화학적 위생처리에 의해 손상되지 않은 바이러스가 RT-PCR법에 의해 증폭되는 것을 방지함으로써 Real-time PCR법에 대한 검출 감도를 높일 수 있음을 확인하였다. 또한, FCV를 검출하기 위해 사용된 RT-PCR과 real-time RT-PCR 두 방법 중에서도 real-time RT-PCR법이 가장 신속하면서도 민감도 높은 결과로 도출되었다. 따라서, 유전자 분석 이전에 복합효소처리는 물리, 화학적 위생처리에 의해 불활성화 된 바이러스의 RNA가 transcription 또는 증폭되는 것을 방지하기 위한 수단으로 real-time RT-PCR법과 결합됨으로써 노로바이러스를 비롯한 식중독 바이러스를 검출하는데 효과적으로 적용될 것으로 판단된다. 또한 식품현장에서 전기영동 과정없이 신속하게 살아있는 바이러스만을 수치적으로 정량화함으로써 식품안전에도 기여할 것으로 사료된다.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.27-35
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• 1989

To develop more specific and sensitive diagnostic methods for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, 7-C-2 monoclonal antibody specific to polypeptides of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV) was applied in indirect immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA), indirect immunoperoxidase assay(IPA) and radial immunodiffusion enzyme assay (RIDEA). It was found that IBRV infected in MDBK cells could be detected as early as 8 hours post infection by IFA, and that IFA was more rapid and specific to identify IBRV antigen than IPA. The diagnostic efficacy of RIDEA and SN test was studied with 88 bovine sera. It was evident that RIDEA could eliminate the false positive reaction encountered in serum neutralization(SN) test, being more rapid and sensitive than the latter. Highly significant correlation coefficiency (r=0.76, p<0.01) was evaluated between the titers of sera and the diameters of RIDEA. Tracheal membranes and sera collected from 96 slaughtered cattle with lesions in respiratory organs were examined to detect IBRV antigen and antibody by IFA, RIDEA and SN test. It was presented that positive rates were 32.3% in IFA, 20.8% in RIDEA and 21.9% in SN test, and that coincidence rate between RIDEA and SN test were 100% in positive sera and 98.7% in negative sera. In conclusion, it was assumed that application of monoclonal antibody could improve the diagnostic efficacy of IBR by enhancing sensitivity and specificity of IPA, IFA and RIDEA.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.96-105
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• 2022

The ovary undergoes substantial physiological changes along with estrus phase to mediate negative/positive feedback to the upstream reproductive tissues and to play a role in producing a fertilizable oocyte in the developing follicles. However, the disorder of estrus cycle in female can lead to diseases, such as cystic ovary which is directly associated with decline of overall reproductive performance. In gene expression studies of ovaries, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay has been widely applied. During this assay, although normalization of target genes against reference genes (RGs) has been indispensably conducted, the expression of RGs is also variable in each experimental condition which can result in false conclusion. Because the understanding for stable RG in porcine ovaries was still limited, we attempted to assess the stability of RGs from the pool of ten commonly used RGs (18S, B2M, PPIA, RPL4, SDHA, ACTB, GAPDH, HPRT1, YWHAZ, and TBP) in the porcine ovaries under different estrus phase (follicular and luteal phase) and cystic condition, using stable RG-finding programs (geNorm, Normfinder, and BestKeeper). The significant (p < 0.01) differences in Ct values of RGs in the porcine ovaries under different conditions were identified. In assessing the stability of RGs, three programs comprehensively agreed that TBP and YWHAZ were suitable RGs to study porcine ovaries under different conditions but ACTB and GAPDH were inappropriate RGs in this experimental condition. We hope that these results contribute to plan the experiment design in the field of reproductive physiology in pigs as reference data.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.163-184
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• 2003

This study was conducted to survey the farm which suffered from disease similar to classical swine fever(CSF) in Gyeongbuk province. Clinical signs appeared first in a few number of growing pigs which showed specific signs of diarrhea, depression, sleepiness, and reluctance to get up or to eat. Younger piglets may have appeared chilled, shiver and huddle together. As the disease progresses the affected pig's skin went red and purple. In histopathological signs, there were many haemorrhages throughout the body and larger haemorrhages in some organs such as lymph nodes. And there is a precipitous fall in the number of circulating leukocytes in the blood. In spite of insisting of farmer which did not vaccinate to classical swine fever, significant antibody production was detected in these affected pigs at enzyme-linked immuonsorbent assay. According to the above results at first glance, these affected pig suspected with CSF in clinical signs and histopathological lesions only. Because the symptoms and post-mortem picture were very similar to CSF, these false positive results would have been dangerous to diagnostician. But by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and comparative nucleotide sequence analysis, the disease was correctly diagnosed with post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome(PMWS) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome(PRRS) compoundly. And the antigen which were detected the lesion similar to CSF virus, was confirmed with LOM vaccine strain of CSF. In most national CSF eradication program and in countries which are free of the CSF virus, vaccination against CSF is not practiced and generally is not allowed. But now in Korea, routine vaccination is practiced because of outbreaking the CSF repeatedly. When CSF is diagnosed the whole herd and other in contact animal are slaughtered continuously.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권9호
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• pp.1229-1233
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• 2006

To find the candidate genes concerned with ovulation rate of sheep, Differential Display Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction was employed to find the differently expressed cDNA controlling ovulation in the Small Tail Han sheep of polyembryony and in Tan sheep of single birth. Twenty-four primer pairs of three anchored primers and eight arbitrary primers were assembled to amplify the specialized bands from these sheep. Positive cross tests were applied to optimize the ascertainable PCR conditions in which different special bands can be identified by silver strain in one PCR tube. After eliminating the false positive PCR products by Northern hybridization, 24 differential display bands were acquired from the ovary in the Small Tail Han sheep. These EST bands were sequenced and 18 different ESTs were found in which five ESTs had several copies and 13 ESTs had only one copy. Comparing these ESTs with homologous sequences by BLAST in the GenBank, there were six ESTs with known open reading frame (ORF) and function, three ESTs with known ORF and no function, and 9 ESTs without homologous sequence. These ESTs partly represent several genes such as NOS2, tensin, TCRA, CDKN1A, ESR1 and ACTB which express especially in Small Tail Han sheep.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.248-256
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• 2007

돼지고기에 오염된 살모넬라의 수를 직접 측정하는 방법으로 경쟁적 PCR(competitive PCR)을 사용하였다. 세가지 DNA추출방법을 비교한 후 guanidine thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform 방법을 일부 수정하여 인위적으로 살모넬라를 오염시킨 돼지고기로부터 DNA를 직접 추출하는 방법으로 선택하였다. Rahn 등(Mol. Cell. Probes 1992년)이 이미 보고한 284-bp iuvA gene의 특이성을 평가하기 위해 살모넬라 57균주와 살모넬라가 아닌 균주 24개를 사용하였다. 시험해 본 모든 살모넬라 균주는 invA 양성으로 살모넬라가 아닌 모든 균주는 invA 음성으로 판명되었으며 살모넬라가 아닌 균주 중 양성으로 잘 못 판명된 경우는 없었다. 돼지고기 0.1 g을 사용할 경우 검출한계는 1,460 cfu였다. 경쟁적 PCR을 위해 invA gene중 82-bp를 결실시킨 DNA조각을 pGEM-4Z백터에 클로닝을 하였다. 인위적으로 오염된 돼지고기로부터 추출한 살모넬라 염색체 DNA와 이와 같은 primer결합자리를 가진 경쟁 DNA를 동시에 경쟁적 PCR로 증폭하였다. 경쟁적 PCR을 사용하여 결정한 균수와 MPN방법으로 결정한 균수는 거의 유사하였으며 전체 과정을 수행하는 데 약 5시간이 소요되었다.