• Animal cells and systems
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2006

In the present study, Dravya-an organic compound used for seed treatment along with the common fungicides to test its compatibility in the management of Alternaria padwickii in paddy. Dravya (a sea weed extract) was found highly compatible with fungicides like Bavistin and Dithane M-45. Incidence of Alternaria padwickii and Bipolaris oryzae was also reduced to a greater extent in the paddy seed samples of Dravya treatment. On the other hand, it also enhanced the seed germination and seedling vigour. Seedlings of treated samples also showed enhanced activity of peroxidase upon challenge inoculation with Alternaria padwickii. The enzyme activity in the seedlings challenged with the pathogen was two fold more over control. The suppression in disease incidence in growing plants indicated the promising effect of Dravya and Dithane M-45 under green- house conditions.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2006

RNA interference has been used as a powerful tool in preventing virus proliferation in many species. In this study, we injected the dsRNA in vitro transcripts into Bombyx mori to investigate the resistance to B. mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV). Through vivisectional observation and real-time quantities PCR analysis, we found that these dsRNA can prevent the BmNPV to a certain extent, and delay the viruses' proliferation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 1970

1. Hepatic ascariasis represented by milk spots on the liver surface was found in 475(31.7%) out of 1,500 pigs. 2. For histopathological studies, 170 cases were collected at random from the milk spotted liver From these cases ascaris larva was found in 14 cases(8.2%). 3. Grossly, the occurrence of milk spots was not confined to any particular lobes of the liver. The lesions, however, were more frequently found in the diaphragmatic surface than in the visceral surface. The extent of the spots was limited to the subcapsular region and the deeper tissue was not affected. 4. Histologically, hemorrhage and eosinophilic infiltration were observed in the area invaded by the larva. The increase of connective tissue followed by a form of chronic lymphocytic hepatitis was observed at the late stage of infection. There was numerous eosinophilic infiltration around the larva trapped in the liver tissue. Consequently, encapsulation of the larva was followed by organization and calcification.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.66-80
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• 1983

As a part of the epidemiological studies of clonorchiasis in Korea, this study was conducted to evaluate the current endemicity and the natural transition of the Clonorchis infection in Goyang Gun a low endemic area in recent years, prior to the introduction of praziquantel which will eventually influence to the status of the prevalence. The data obtained in this study in 1983 were evaluated for natural transition of the infection in comparison with those obtained 16 years ago in 1967 by the author (Kim, 1974). The areas of investigation, villages and schools surveyed, methods and techniques used in this study were the same as in 1967, except for the contents of the questionnaire for raw freshwater fish consumption by the local inhabitants. 1) The current prevalence rate of Clonorchis infection among the inhabitants was 7.5% on the average out of a total of 479 persons examined. The prevalence rate was 9.0% in the riverside area and 4.2% in the inland area. Among the schoolchildren, the prevalence rate was 1.1% out of a total of 1 319 examined. By area, it was 1.4% in the riverside area and 0.7% in the inland area. By sex, the prevalence rate was 13.3% in the male and 1.3% in the female in the inhabitants and no difference was seen in the schoolchildren. 2) In the natural transition of the infection, the prevalence rate in the inhabitants has decreased from 22.5% in 1967 to 7.5% in 1983, and in the schoolchildren, from 9.5% in 1967 to 1.1% in 1983. The reduction rate was higher in the riverside area than in the inland area. 3) In the prevalence rate by age, 1.2% was seen in the 10-14 age group and gradually increased to 8.1% in the 30-39 age group and reached peak 18.1% in the 40-49 age group. By sex, in the male, the prevalence rates have increased to 31.9% and 33.3% in the 40-49 and 50-59 age groups, respectively and decreased thereafter. In the female, the prevalence rate less than 5% was seen only in between the 10-14 and 30-39 age groups. 4) In the natural transition of the prevalence rate by age, sharp decrease was seen in the male from around 50% in 1967 between 15-19 and 30-39 age groups. The generation over 40s showed less decrease. In the female, the prevalence rate has decreased from 13% in 1967 to 5% in 1983 in the middle age groups and dropped to 0% in the rest of the age groups. 5) The intensity of the infection among clonorchiasis cases by mean EPmg (number of eggs per mg feces) value was 1.4. In the inhabitants, the value was 2.0 in the riverside area and 0.4 in the inland area. While in the schoolchildren, the value was 0.2 in both riverside and inland areas. 6) In the transition of the intensity of the infection, EPmg among the inhabitants has decreased from 3.9 in 1967 to 2.0 in 1983 in the riverside area, and from 2.9 to 0.4 in the inland area. In the schoolchildren, the reduction was similar in both riverside and inland areas resulting from 1.0-1.1 in 1967 to 0.2 in 1983. 7) In the intensity of the infection by age, EPmg 3.4 was peak at the 40-49 age group and 0.2-1.0 was seen in the rest of the age groups. The mean value was 1.5 in the male and 0.6 in the female. 8) In the natural transition of the intensity of the infection, the EPmg has decreased from 2.7 in 1967 to 1.4 in 1983. By age, reduction was seen in all of the age groups, particularly in the young and the old age groups of 50s and over, except in the 40-49 age group in which reverse phenomenon was seen. By sex, it has decreased from 3.5 in 1967 to 1.5 in 1983 in the male and from 1.0 to 0.6 in the female. 9) In the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by the range of EPmg value, 70.3% of the cases were placed in the range of 0.1-0.9 as the most and 16.2% in 1.0-4.9 as the next. With such figures, those included in the range less than 0.9 as light infection were 78.4% and under 5.0-9.9 up to moderate infection 99.3% of the cases were covered. The cases were distributed up to 20.0-39.9 in the male and to 1.0-4.9 in the female. 10) In the transition of the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by EPmg, the highest intensity reached up to 60.0-79.9 in 1967 and to 20.0-39.9 in 1983. In the range of light infection, under 0.1-0.9, the distribution in rate was 64.5% in 1967 and 78.4% in 1983. Up to the range of moderate infection, under 5.0-9.9, 91.7% in 1967 and 97.3% in 1983 were seen respectively. 11) In a survey for raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants,78.3 of the clonorchiasis cases interviewed admitted their experience of the raw consumption. However, those who practised in the past two years were 34.8% 55.6% of those who have such experience in the past professed that they did not practise raw freshwater fish consumption in the past two years. 12) The major cause of the reduction of the raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants were the wide spread water pollution in the locality. The most common reason professed for stopping raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants was the risk of the fluke infection. 13) In animal survey, 3.1% of dogs were found infected with Clonorchis, decreasing from 21.6% in 1967. 14) The distribution of the first intermediate host, Parafossarulus manchouricus has greatly diminished in this locality and found only in two localized ponds. No Clonorchis infection was found from the snails examined. 15) The second intermediate freshwater fish host has been further limited by extended water pollution. No susceptible fish host could be examined. 16) In conclusion, the endemicity of Clonorchis infection in Croyang Gun, low endemic area, has significantly decreased during the past 16 years. The major cause of the regressive transition of the infection was the water pollution of the freshwater system of this locality. This has upset the ecosystems of the intermediate host of Clonorchis sinensis in many areas of waterbodies and further discouraged to a significant extent the local inhabitants from raw freshwater fish consumption.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2011

Background: The clinical manifestation of $M.$ $tuberculosis$ infection ranges from asymptomatic latent infection, to focal forms with minimal symptoms and low bacterial burdens, and finally to advanced tuberculosis (TB) with severe symptoms and high bacillary loads. We investigated the diagnostic sensitivity of the whole-blood interferon-${\gamma}$ release assay according to the wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Methods: In patients diagnosed with active TB that underwent $QuantiFERON^{(R)}$ (QFT) testing, the QFT results were compared with patients known to be infected with pulmonary tuberculosis (P-TB) and extra-pulmonary TB (EP-TB). In addition, the results of the QFT test were further analyzed according to the radiographic extent of disease in patients with P-TB and the location of disease in patients with EP-TB. Results: There were no statistical differences in the overall distribution of QFT results between 177 patients with P-TB and 84 patients with EP-TB; the positive results of QFT test in patients with P-TB and EP-TB were 70.1% and 64.3%, respectively. Among patients with P-TB, patients with mild extents of disease showed higher frequency of positive results of QFT test than that of patients with severe form (75.2% vs. 57.1%, respectively; p=0.043) mainly due to an increase of indeterminate results in severe P-TB. Patients with TB pleurisy showed lower sensitivity by the QFT test than those with tuberculous lymphadenitis (48.8% vs. 78.8%, respectively; p=0.019). Conclusion: Although QFT test showed similar results between overall patients with P-TB and EP-TB, individual sensitivity was different according to the radiographic extent of disease in P-TB and the location of disease in EP-TB.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.76-92
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• 1997

Porpilyromonas endodontalis is specifically involved in endodontic infections. The bacterium can be isolated almost exclusively only from infected rool canals. P. gingivalis also has been implicated in endodontic infection. Pathogemcity of P. gingival is is attributed to a variety of virulence factors, especially proteases, produced by the bacterium. Importance of P. endodontalis in endodontic infection has been revealed. However, the pathogenic property of P. endodontalis has not been extensively studied. The present study was undertaken to characterize the proteolytic activity of P. endodontalis and compare the activity with that of P. gingivalis which has the most potent and diverse proteases among oral bacteria. For this purpose, culture supematants(SUP) and cell extracts(CE) were obtained from these two bacteria and were subjected to zymography using 15% polyacrylamide gel copolymerized with gelatin, type I, IV collagens or albumin. Hydrolysis of the collagens was further investigated by the cleavage assay using native type I and IV collagens in solution-phase. The results were as follows: 1. P. endodontalis apparently has a proteolytic activity that is comparable with that of P. gingivalis. 2. SUP and CE obtained from P. endodontalis and P. gingival is showed the strongest activity for gelatin, followed by type I and IV collagens, and albumin. 3. In the zymography, no noticeable difference in proteolytic activity for gelatin and albumin between the SUP and CE was observed, but in the cleavage assay using native collagens, the SUP showed a stronger collagenolytic activity than the CE. 4. The gelatinolytic activity of both the SUP and CE from these two bacteria was diminished in the presence of $CaCl_2$ or reducing agents such as ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol(DTT). 5. Type I(calf skin and human placenta) collagenolytic activity of P. endodontalis and P. gingivalis was reduced by DTT but not affected by $CaCl_2$. The inhibitory effect of DTT, however, was reduced to some extent by $CaCl_2$. 6. Type IV collagenolytic activity of these two bacteria was not affected by $CaCl_2$ but increased to some extent in association with the reducing agents. 7. Hydrolysis of albumin by P. endodontalis and P. gingivalis was demonstrated only in the presence of the reducing agents. The overall results indicate that with respect to proteolytic activity, P. endodontalis appears to be as potent as P. gingivalis, or maybe more, and its proteolytic characteristic is similar to that of P. gingivalis. This suggests that P. endodontalis has so potent proteolytic activity that can participate by itself in endodontic infections and apical periodontitis, causing tissue destruction.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 1995

This study was retrospectively reviewed and analysis of postoperative local complication on all patient undergoing thyroid operation of 242 cases of thyroid disease, at Department of General Surgery, Chosun University Hospital from January 1988 to December 1992. The result were follow: Postoperative local complication are as follow; 52 cases of transient hypocalcemia, 7 cases of thansient hoarseness, 3 cases of permanent hypocalcemia, 2 cases of permanent hoarseness, and other local complication were postoperative bleeding with airway obstraction, hematoma, infection. In pathologic classification according to complicative patients; The most common frequency of complication in benign disease was Graves' disease with 13 cases(54.2%), and the most frequency of complication in malignance disease was follicalar adenocarcinoma with 7 cases(53.9%). The frequency of complication according to operation procedure were unilateral lobectomy in 31 cases(19.9%), subtotal thyroidectomy in 15 cases(39.5%), near total thyroidectomy in 12 cases (44.4%), and total thyroidectomy in 10 cases(55.6%). There was a significant relationship between extent of operative procedure and frequency of complication. The incidence of local complication after thyroid resection was 57 of 196(29.1%) in the benign disease that was 15 of 26(57.7 %) in the intrathyroidal carcinoma and 13 of 20(65.0%) in the extrathyroidal carcinoma. There was significant different in frequency of local complication according to invasion and malignance of pathologic lesion. The most frequent complication after thyroid resection is transient hypocalcemia ; 39 of 196(19.9%) in the benign disease, 7 of 26(26.9%) in the intrathyroida1 carcinoma, and 6 of 10(30.0%) in the extrathyroidal carcinoma. Their complication rate increased in direct relationship to the invasion and malignance of pathologic lesion, but there was no statistically significant. Transient hypocalcemia was encountered in 52 cases of the total 242 patient(21.9%) ; 29 of 156(18.6%) after unilateral lobectomy, 9 of 38(23.7%) after subtotal thyroidectomy, and 5 of 18(27.8 %) after total thyroidectomy. The relation ship between temporal hypocalcemia and the extent of surgery was not statistically significant.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.209-213
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• 1988

To Appreciate the value of bone scintigraphy in determination of the bony infection, we performed three phase bone scintigraphy in 34 cases of osteomyelitis of extremities prospectively. They were clinically inactive in 11 and active in 23 cases. We confirmed the active osteomyelitis by operation or aspiration within one week after scintigraphy. Perfusion, blood pool and delayed images were analyzed respectively and compared with the plain roentgenograms. All 23 active lesions showed diffusely increased perfusion in affected limbs. The areas of the increased activities on blood pool images were larger than or similar to those on delayed images in 17 cases (73.9%) with active osteomyelitis and smaller in 6 cases (26.1%). 5 of the latter 6 cases showed definite soft tissue activities on blood pool images. In inactive cases bone scintigrams were completely normal in 4 cases. Two of those were normal on plain films and remaining two showed mild focal bony sclerosis. Among 7 inactive lesions, perfusion was normal in 2 cases, diffusely increased in 4 cases and diffusely decreased in 1 case. 6 of these 7 cases showed increased activities both on blood pool and delayed images and the areas of increased activities on blood pool images didn't exceed those on delayed images. Bony sclerosis was noted on plain films in those 7 inactive lesions and the extent of the sclerosis correlated well to delayed images. Large blood pool activity was characteristics of active osteomyelitis. Normal three phase bone scintigram may indicate the time to terminate the treatment, but increased activity on perfusion and blood pool scans is not absolute indication of active lesion if the extent of the lesion on the blood pool image is smaller than that on delayed image and if no difinite soft tissue activity is noted on perfusion and blood pool images in clinically inactive patient.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2021

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency posing unprecedented challenges for health authorities. Social media may serve as an effective platform to disseminate health-related information. This study aimed to assess the extent of social media use, its impact on preventive behavior, and negative health effects such as cyberchondria and information overload. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between June 10, 2020 and August 9, 2020 among people visiting the outpatient department of the authors' institution, and participants were also recruited during field visits for an awareness drive. Questions were developed on preventive behavior, and the Short Cyberchondria Scale and instruments dealing with information overload and perceived vulnerability were used. Results: The study recruited 767 participants with a mean age of about 45 years. Most of the participants (>90%) engaged in preventive behaviors, which were influenced by the extent of information received through social media platforms (β=3.297; p<0.001) and awareness of infection when a family member tested positive (β=29.082; p<0.001) or a neighbor tested positive (β=27.964; p<0.001). The majority (63.0%) of individuals often searched for COVID-19 related news on social media platforms. The mean±standard deviation scores for cyberchondria and information overload were 9.09±4.05 and 8.69±2.56, respectively. Significant and moderately strong correlations were found between cyberchondria, information overload, and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the use of social media as an information- seeking platform altered preventive behavior. However, excessive and misleading information resulted in cyberchondria and information overload.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.170-178
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• 2019

Purpose: Annual influenza vaccination is the best strategy to prevent healthcare-associated influenza transmission. Influenza vaccination rates among healthcare workers (HCWs) vary by country, region, and year. We investigated the influenza vaccination rates for HCWs during the 2017-2018 influenza season in South Korea, where a non-mandatory vaccination campaign was conducted. Methods: We retrospectively investigated factors affecting the influenza vaccination rate among HCWs during the 2017-2018 influenza season in three tertiary hospitals in Goyang City, where the non-mandatory influenza vaccination program is conducted. Results: Consequently, 6,994 of 7,180 HCWs (97%) were included, and the overall vaccination rate was 85%. Nurses had the highest rate with 92%, followed by health technicians (88%), physicians (84%), and non-medical HCWs (79%, P<0.001). Vaccination rates differed, depending on the frequency of contact with patients in the non-medical HCWs (frequent contact vs. less-frequent contact; 90% vs. 73%, P<0.001). Conclusions: The influenza vaccination rate among HCWs during the 2017-2018 influenza season in Korea was 85%, which is among the highest rates compared with previously reported non-mandatory vaccination rates in other countries. The vaccination rate may vary depending on the HCW's occupational characteristics, including the extent of contact with the patient. Therefore, a multifaceted strategy is needed to increase the vaccination rate of HCWs.