• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.989-998
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• 2019

Autophagy is crucial for immune defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Mtb can evade host immune attack and survival within macrophages by manipulating the autophagic process. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are involved in regulating vital genes during Mtb infection. The precise role of miRNAs in autophagy with the exits of Mtb remains largely unknown. In this study, we found miR-1958, a new miRNA that could regulate autophagy by interacting with 3'UTR of autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg5). In addition, Mtb infection triggered miR-1958 expression in RAW264.7 cells. What's more, miR-1958 overexpression blocked autophagic flux by impairing the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes. Overexpression of miR-1958 reduced Atg5 expression and LC3 puncta while inhibition of miR-1958 brought an increase of Atg5 and LC3 puncta; the opposite results were observed in detection of p62. The survival of Mtb in RAW264.7 cells transfected with mimic of miR-1958 was enhanced. Taken together, our research demonstrated that a novel miR-1958 could inhibit autophagy by interacting with Atg5 and favored intracellular Mtb survival in RAW264.7 cells.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.291-302
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• 2019

Median sternotomy is the most popular approach in cardiac surgery. Post-sternotomy wound complications are rare, but the occurrence of a deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a catastrophic event associated with higher morbidity and mortality, longer hospital stays, and increased costs. A literature review was performed by searching PubMed from January 1996 to August 2017 according to the guidelines in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. The following keywords were used in various combinations: DSWI, post-sternotomy complication, and sternal reconstruction. Thirty-nine papers were included in our qualitative analysis, in which each aspect of the DSWI-related care process was analyzed and compared to the actual standard of care. Plastic surgeons are often involved too late in such clinical scenarios, when previous empirical treatments have failed and a definitive reconstruction is needed. The aim of this comprehensive review was to create an up-to-date operative flowchart to prevent and properly treat sternal wound infection complications after median sternotomy.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.35-47
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• 2024

Milk exosomes contain several bioactive molecules, including lipids, proteins, and miRNAs, which enhance immune response. This study aimed to assess the resistance effects of bovine colostrum exosomes (BCEs) on pathogenic microbial infections in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. BCEs have been shown to enhance the protective response of C. elegans to pathogenic bacterial infections. Our study revealed that BCE extended the lifespan of worms compared to control OP50 worms. In addition, nematode colostrum exosomes promoted nematode resistance to four pathogenic bacteria and prolonged their lifespan in a killing assay. In contrast, mature milk-derived exosomes (BME) did not affect the resistance and lifespan of nematodes exposed to pathogenic bacteria. BCE exposure extended the lifespan of C. elegans against pathogenic infections by stimulating the innate immune response and increasing antimicrobial protein expression. Using biological process-related gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, the significantly upregulated GO terms related to C. elegans immunity in BCE-exposed C. elegans included defense, innate immunity, and immune responses. This study demonstrated that BCE enhanced the host defense of C. elegans to prolong its lifespan, thereby suggesting a new natural product against infection by pathogenic bacteria.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.113-124
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• 2009

Aging is a multifaceted biological process that affects all organs and organ systems of the body. This review provides an up-to-date analysis of this highly exciting, rapidly changing field of science. The aging process is largely under genetic control but is highly responsive to diverse environmental influences. The genes that control aging are those that are involved with cell maintenance, cell damage and repair. The environmental factors that accelerate aging are those that influence either damage of cellular macromolecules, or interfere with their repair. Prominent among these are chronic inflammation, chronic infection, some metallic chemicals, ultraviolet light, and others that heighten oxidative stress. Other environment factors slow the aging process. Included among these agents are resveratrol and vitamin D. In addition, dietary restriction and exercise have been found to extend human lifespan. The various mechanisms whereby all these agents exert their influence on aging include epigenetic modification, chromatin maintenance, protection of telomeres, and anti-oxidant defense, among others. The complex process of aging remains under continued, intense investigation.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.66-79
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to derive the elements for effectively improving the management of emerging infectious diseases in the emergency room in large general hospitals. Methods: This research involved an analytic hierarchy process analysis of 10 experienced nurses working in a large general hospital located in the Seoul metropolitan area. The weighted values of the criteria for evaluating the importance of the management elements of patients with emerging infectious diseases in the emergency room of large general hospitals were derived using an analytic hierarchy process survey. Results: The results of the analytic hierarchy process analysis showed that experts considers responsiveness (0.291) as most important with respect to the criteria for the policy for isolation and control of infectious patients. The order of importance of the criteria for the policy for isolation and control of infectious patients were as follows: responsiveness (0.291), economical efficiency (0.257), feasibility (0.242), and sustainability (0.209). Subsequently, the weighted values of the management of the policy elements were determined based on the derived importance of the criteria mentioned above. These were, in order of priority, the construction of communication channels with the government authorities when dealing with emerging infectious diseases (15.9%), the equipment and provision of personal protective equipment to protect nurses from infection and dissemination of material (14.6%), and the operation of the isolation room and patient separation systems (14.1%). Conclusion: This study suggests critical strategies for infection control during a pandemic of emerging infectious disease.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.71-82
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• 2019

Purpose - This study aims to identify the priorities of medical service quality improvement by customer satisfaction characteristics and potential customer satisfaction improvement (PCSI) index based on the dualistic quality classification of Kano Model (1984) for Comprehensive Health Screeening Center in General Hospitals and Centers only for Comprehensive Health Screening and suggest a direction for future improvement. Research design, data, and methodology - Through advanced research on health screening medical service quality, this study set four service quality factors, including tangible, human, process and supportive factors, and 39 measurement items. Based on these items, the study used 117 questions, which consist of dualistic quality factors, customer satisfaction coefficients, positive and negative questions for PCSI index and questions for current satisfaction. 300 effective samples were collected for adults in their 20s who experienced health screening service in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Incheon within the past two years. Collected data were input in the quality evaluation duality table to categorize quality factors and calculate customer satisfaction coefficients by Timko(1993). The study also analyzed PCSI index in comparison with current satisfaction and identified priorities in quality improvement. Results - It was found that the most urgent factors to improve the quality in both groups were adequate waiting hours and emergency response for complications, which are process factors classified as unitary quality. It is urgently needed to improve the quality as the PCSI index was high in supportive factors (complaint response team) as attractive quality in Comprehensive Health Screening Center in General Hospitals and in process factors (prevention of infection) as unitary quality in Centers only for Comprehensive Health Screening. As the PCSI index was low in space use as a tangible factor, it was found that the current level can be maintained instead of improvement. Conclusions - To improve the health screening medical service quality, it is required to focus on process factors (adequate waiting hours, emergency response for complications, prevention of infection) and supportive factors (complaint response team) among service qualities perceived by users. It is proposed to ensure continuous efforts to manage and reinforce priorities as a direction for future improvement in health screening service.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.613-623
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• 2022

Hospital textile is a necessary which the patient used everyday, that required constant management between supply and consumption. This study applied the service blue print technique to analyze how to provide and supply hospital textile from the stock to the patients in a tertiary hospital, Seoul, South Korea. There are actual or potential process problems identified such as nurses' increasing workload, patient dissatisfaction, and infection risk. After applying blueprint analysis, we suggest the modified processes to overcome theses identified problems using automatization to provide textile. Expected outcomes may include decreases in patient's waiting time, nurse's textile workload, and lower infection risk as well as increasing process efficiency via systematic supply-demand management.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2009

Purpose: Artificial dura maters are commonly used in cranioplasty, but sometimes they can result in serious postoperative infection. Once complications such as epidural abscess or chronic draining ulcer arise, they are very difficult to treat. In this case, reclosure of dura defect using artificial dura mater may give rise to recurrence of infection. We experienced a case of intractable epidural abscess caused by use of artificial dura. To avoid repeated infection, we decided to use autologous tissue for the coverage of dura and soft tissue defect. Therefore, autologous tensor fascia lata graft and anterolateral thigh free flap were harvested at the same donor site incision to cover composite defect on the scalp and dura mater. Methods: A 13 year old male patient, who underwent the decompression cranioplasty and duroplasty, suffered from the intractable infection lesion. Twice, the epidural abscess was removed, both times the infection recurred. And eventually dura mater was exposed through the infected open wound. Nine months after dura exposed, infected aritificial dura mater was removed and extensive debridement was performed. Through a surgical incision on donor thigh, first, tensor fascia lata graft was harvested in process of the anterolateral thigh flap elevation. After the fascia lata graft was fixed over the dural defect, the anterolateral thigh flap was used to fill the dead space as well as the scalp defect. Results: Postoperatively, no recurrent infection and cerebrospinal fluid leakage are observed for a year. After the surgery, on the first and second day, venous congestion of the flap was observed, this problem was solved by thrombectomy and vein reanastomosis. And partial necrosis of flap occurred, but completely healed as conservative treatment for two weeks. Conclusion: Using the autologous tensor fascia lata graft and anterolateral thigh flap, we could obtain satisfactory results as treatment for the intractable infection lesion after duroplasty. Autologous tensor fascia lata in conjunction with anterolateral thigh flap is useful method for covering composite defect of scalp and dura mater.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.158-167
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to study the effects of the utilization of ethanol solution in infection control of dental implant hand drivers, a common practice in dental prosthodontic clinics. Materials and Methods: Infection control methods were divided into two groups. One swabbed with 83% ethanol gauze and the other immersed in 83% ethanol solution for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 and 300 second intervals after inoculation of the dental implant hand drivers with Staphylococcus aureus. After measuring the number of colony forming units and analyzing the optical density, the effects of infection control in the experimental group were compared with the positive control group without infection control after inoculation with bacteria and the negative control group without inoculation with bacteria after sterilization. Results: The number of colony forming units and optical density analysis showed a statistically significant difference compared to the positive control. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference between the negative control and the group immersed in the 83% ethanol solution for more than 150 seconds. Conclusion: It is recommended to use the ethanol solution as a pre-cleaning process before sterilization, since the intermediate-level disinfection method using ethanol solution alone for the infection control of the dental implant hand driver cannot clinically secure the sterility.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2010

Protein phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms for controlling many cellular processes in all living organisms. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are known to transducer extracellular stimuli to several cellular processes, including cell division, differentiation as well as responses to various stresses. In plants, several studies have revealed that MAPK cascade pathways play an important role in responses against biotic and abiotic stresses, including wounding, pathogen infection, temperature, drought, salinity and plant hormones. It is also known that MAPK cascades-mediated signaling is an essential process in the resistance step to pathogens by regulating the activity of transcription factors. Here, the insights into the functions of MAPK cascade pathways in plant defense response signaling from Arabidopsis, tobacco and rice are described.