• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.487-491
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• 2008

Purpose : Although Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) infection can cause wheezing in non-asthmatic children, the mechanisms of this symptom remain unclear. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major mediator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability, and is also known to be elevated in cases of chronic pulmonary disease such as asthma. We hypothesized that VEGF may increase in children with acute M. pneumoniae pneumonia and wheezing. Methods : Nine patients with clinical and laboratory evidence of acute M. pneumoniae pneumonia were enlisted from children admitted to Korea University Hospital. They had had more than one episode of wheezing during the illness, which was confirmed by a physician; they comprised the wheezer group. The individuals with M. pneumoniae pneumonia without wheezing were 63 in number, and they comprised the non-wheezer group. Patients with a history of asthma or who had received asthma medications were excluded. Serum concentrations of VEGF, total IgE, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and peripheral blood eosinophil counts were measured. Results : The serum VEGF concentrations were higher in the wheezer group ($mean{\pm}SD$; $650.2{\pm}417.9pg/mL$) than in the non-wheezer group ($376.5{\pm}356.2pg/mL$, P=0.049). M. pneumoniae antibody (1:1,380 vs. 1:596, P=0.048) and serum total IgE (591.8 IU/mL vs. 162.2 IU/mL, P=0.032) were higher in the wheezer group than in the non-wheezer group. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of serum ECP concentration or blood eosinophil count. Conclusion : In the presence of wheezing, serum VEGF concentrations were higher in the children with M. pneumoniae pneumonia. This finding suggests that VEGF may associate with wheeze-related symptoms in children with acute M. pneumoniae pneumonia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.178-183
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• 2010

Purpose : The aim of this study was to identify mutations associated with macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) and to establish a cultural method to determine antimicrobial susceptibility. Methods : Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) were collected from 62 children diagnosed with MP pneumonia by a serologic method or polymerase chain reaction. The 23S rRNA and L4 ribosomal protein genes of MP were amplified and sequenced. To identify mutations in these 2 genes, their nucleotide sequences were compared to those of the reference strain M129. MP cultivation was carried out for 32 (28 frozen and 5 refrigerated) NPAs and M129 strain using Chanock's glucose broth and agar plate in a 5% $CO_2$ incubator at $37^{\circ}C$ and examined at 2-3 day intervals for 6 weeks. Results : Among the 62 specimens, 17 had M144V mutations in ribosomal protein L4. The A2064G mutation was observed in 1 specimen; its 23S rRNA gene was successfully sequenced. Culture for MP was successful from the M129 strain and 2 of the 5 NPAs that were refrigerated for no longer than 3 days. However, MP did not grow from the 28 NPAs that were kept frozen at $-80^{\circ}C$ since 2003. Conclusion : We found the M144V mutation of L4 protein to be common and that of domain V of 23S rRNA gene was relatively rare among MP. Studies on the prevalence of macrolide-resistant MP and the relationship between the mutations of 23S rRNA gene and ribosomal protein L4 will aid in understanding the mechanism of macrolide resistance in MP.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.101-111
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• 2004

Purpose : This study was performed to observe the epidemiological pattern of M. pneumoniae pneumonia during the period from 1993 to 2002 and also to see some clinical characteristics of M. pneumoniae pneumonia during recent five years. Methods : We had performed a retrospective analysis of epidemiological pattern of occurrence in 682 patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia admitted to Department of Pediatrics of Han-il General Hospital from January, 1993 to December, 2002. Results : The annual ratio of M. pneumoniae pneumonia was compared with the total numbers of respiratory tract infection patients. The ratios were 19.1% in 1993, 13.0% in 1994, 5.6% in 1995, 12.8% in 1996, 18.6% in 1997, 22.6% in 1998, 1.1% in 1999, 13.3% in 2000, 9.1% in 2001, 6.0% in 2002, and 19.9% in 2003. The epidemics have occurred in 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2003 years showing 3~4 year intervals. The peak incidence of age was four to six years old(286 cases; 41.9%) and male-to-female ratio was 1 : 1.1. Monthly distribution showed a high frequency from August to December and the major outbreak occurred in November(119 cases; 17.4%), in October(106 cases; 15.5%), and in December(96 cases; 14.1%) in order of frequency. The most common symptoms were cough (660 cases; 96.8%), fever(569 cases; 83.4%), and sputum(522 cases; 76.5%) in that order. Leukocytosis was observed in 31.2% of patients based on a normal range according to the adjusted age. Increased ESR(${\geq}20mm/hr$) was noted in 42.5% of cases and CRP was positive in 37.8% of cases. On the chest X-ray examination, pulmonary infiltration was noted in 557 cases(81.7%), and the patterns of pneumonic infiltration were bronchopneumonia(78.0%), lobar(35.5%), lobular(19.2%), and interstitial pneumonia(28.7%). Complications were paranasal sinusitis(41 cases), acute otitis media(23 cases), pleural effusion(19 cases). cervical lymphadenitis(18 cases), and glomerulonephritis(1 case). Conclusion : The pattern of M. pneumoniae pneumonia from 1997 to 2003 noted 3~4 year interval with peak monthly distribution of October and November compared with 3 year interval and peak incidence of summer period before 1996.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.479-485
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• 2005

The 994 throat swabs obtained from 688 adults and 306 children patients with respiratory diseases were examined for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection by culture method. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the resulting 123 M. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated by testing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of erythromycin, minocycline, tetracycline, josamycin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin by a broth micro-dilution method. The erythromycin resistant strains of M. pneumoniae was determined above $1.0{\mu}g/ml$ of MIC for erythromycin. The erythromycin resistant strains of M. pneumoniae was confirmed resistant gene mutation of the portions of genes 23S rRNA (domain II and V), and ribosomal protein 14 and L22 by PCR amplified and their nucleotide sequenses were compared to those of the susceptible strain M129. The isolation rate of M. pneumoniae was $12.9\%$ (89/688) for the adults and $11.1\%$ (34/306) for the children. The $MICs_{90}$ of the M. pneumoniae isolates were $0.12{\mu}g/ml$ for minocycline, $0.25{\mu}g/ml$ for sparfloxacin, $0.5{\mu}g/ml$ for ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and tetracycline, respectively, and $2.0{\mu}g/ml$ for josamycin and erythromycin, respectively. The isolation rate of erythromycin resistant M. pneumoniae from patients was $49.4\%\;(44/89)$ for the adults, $47.1\%\;(16/34)$ for children, and $48.8\%\;(60/123)$ for the total. No mutation could be detected in the ribosomal protein L22 region, but all strains were mutated in the ribosomal protein L4 as two point mutation M144V. Two point mutations in domain V of 23S rRNA were selected in the presense of erythromycin resistant M. pneumoniae isolates, such as one strain was G2057C mutant, two strains were A2059C mutants, three strains were C2611G mutants, four strains were A2058C mutants, five strains were A2058T mutants, twenty strains were A2059G mutants, and twenty-five strains were A2058G mutants, respectively. These results show that erythromycin was not the most active compound against M. pneumoniae infection in Korea and clinical studies of macrolides in human patients are demanded.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.435-443
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• 2007

Antimicrobial susceptibility test of the 116 strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae isolates were performed by a broth micro-dilution method against to moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin minocycline, erythromycin, josamycin, and tetracycline. The initial-minimum inhibitory concentration (I-MIC) was evaluated as the lowest concentration of antimicrobial agents that prevented a color change in the medium at that time when the drug-free growth control, about 7 days after incubation, and the final-minimum inhibitory concentration (F-MIC) was defined a color change about 14 days after incubation. The evaluation to the drug-resistant M. pneumoniae isolates were determined the $MIC{\pm}1.0$ ${\mu}g/ml$ of each antimicrobial agent. According to the I-MIC, single drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, clarithromycin and erythromycin were 79.3, 53.5, 10.3, and 7.8%, respectively. Two kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, or ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin were 42.2 and 9.5%. Three kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains to erythromycin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, or ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin were 6.9 and 6.0% . According to the F-MIC, single drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, minocycline,erythromycin, josamycin, clarithromycin and sparfloxacin were 91.4, 91.4, 91.4, 89.7, 68.1, 52.6, 28.5, and 11.2%, respectively. The incidence of two kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains were from 20.7% to 91.4%, three kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains were from 28.5% to 89.7%, four kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains were 2.6%, five kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae were from 2.6% to 21.6%, six kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains were from 0.9% to 24.1%, seven kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains were from 0.9% to 2.6%, and eight kinds of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae strains were 1.7%. These results suggest that sparfloxacin, moxifloxacin and levofloxacin might be promising antimicrobial agents for the treatment of M. pneumoniae infection in Korea. However, most strains of M. pneumoniae isolates were single or multi-resistance pattern to the other tested antimicrobial agents. Therefore, tetracycline, minocycline, erythromycin, clarithromycin, and second-generation quinolones are more carefully used to patients with M. pneumoniae infection in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 1980

The occurrence of witches' broom of Rhus javanica was first noticed in Korea by the author in 1979. Subsequently, studies were made on the symptomatology, etiology, and transmission of the disease, as well as the effect of some antibiotics on the disease development. The results of these studies are summarized as follows: 1. Symptoms of the infected plant were characterized by dwarfing of the tree accompanied by yellowing and brooming of the foliage. 2. Electron microscopy of witches' broom diseased Rhus javanica plant revealed the occurrence of numerous mycoplasma-like organisms (MLO's) in the phloem tissue cells (sieve tube elements and phloem parenchyma cells) of the rachis and midribs of infected leaves. 3. The MLO's were bounded by a single unit membrane and contained ribosome-like granules and strands presumed to be DNA. It also appears that the MLO multiply possibly by budding as well as binary and plurinary fission. 4. In the midrib of healthy leaves, vascular bundles were collaterally discontinuous. In the diseased leaves, however, xylems were connected to each other and phloem cells showed an atrophy. Granules, which were prominent in the normal abaxial epidermis, were not observed in the peidermis of diseased leaves. 5. Electron microscopy revealed crystals or osmopholic granules in the phloem parenchyma cells, and that normal stacks of grana were not developed in the chloroplasts of infected levels. 6. The disease was experimentally transmitted by grafting. Budding was more effective than crown grafting for transmitting the disease. The disease has been transmitted by grafting even when complete union of stocks and scions has not taken place. The disease agent was not transmitted by sap inoculation. Insect transmission has not been confirmed. 7. Dipping the roots of infected plants into the 500 ppm and 1,000 solutions of either tetracycline HCI or oxytetracycline, HCI was more effective on temporary remision of the symptoms than spraying the 100 ppm and 200 ppm solutions of the same antibiotics. A greater effect was achieved through dipping into 1,000 ppm than into 500 ppm.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.103-118
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• 1989

The occurrence of witches' broom in Ligustrum ovalifolium was first noticed in Korea by author in 1984. The present study was carried out with particular emphasis on the symptomatology, etiology, transmission of the disease and antibiotic treatments. The infected tissue was observed by the fluorescence and electron microscopy and its biochemical characteristics were compared with healthy one by electrophoresis. The results are summarized as follows : 1. symptoms of the infected trees were characterized by the dwarfing of the organs, yellowing and brooming of the foliage. 2. The observation by the trans electron microscopy on the witches' broom of L. ovalifolium revealed the occurrence of numerous mycoplasma-like organisms(MLOs) in the phloem tissue cells of the midribs of infected leaves. 3. The MLOs were surrounded by a single unit membrane, and they appeared to be multiplied by binary fission. 4. The presence of crystals unidentified in the phloem parenchyma cells was noticed by electron rnicroscopy, 5. The disease was able to be transmitted by budding, crown, and greenwood graftings to L. ovalifolium, L. obtusifolium, L, japonicum and also transmitted, even when the stocks and scions were not completely grafted. 6. Insect transmission on L. ovalifolium and L, obtzrsifolium was carried by Hishimonus sellatus. 7. The infected roots dipped in the 1,000 ppm of teracyclin solution was only temporarily effective in controlling the disease. 8. Infected plant with MLOs showed specific fluorescent reactions in phloems with DAPI stain. 9. The protein and peroxidase separated by electrophoresis showed strikingly distinctive difference between the healthy and diseased leaves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1338-1343
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• 2004

The Debao pony ear marginal tissue fibroblast cell line (NDPEM 2/2) was uccessfully established using either primary explant technique or collagenase technique. The characterizations of the cell line were identified as following: the cells were adherent and of density limitation; population doubling time (PDT) of cells made with the two techniques were 35.9 h and 48 h, respectively; chromosome analysis showed that the frequency of cell chromosome number to be 2n=64 was 91.3%-92.8%. Confirmed by isoenzyme analysis, this cell line had no cross- contamination. Tests for microbial contamination from bacteria, fungi, virus or mycoplasma were negative. This newly established cell line meets all the standard quality controls of ATCC. It will provide a precious genetic resource for the conservation of the Debao pony breed, as well as effective experimental material for genetic studies on Debao ponies.

• Plant Disease and Agriculture
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 1995

Infection rate of witches'-broom disease (WB) was observed yearly in transplanted jujube seedlings for 7 years. Seedlings of‘Hongan’grafted either on the rootstock from seed (RS) or on the rootstock from rooting (RR) were planted in separate farms. Occurrence of the disease was determined 4 years after transplanting with the witches'-broom symptom. Only 1 seedling of RS was infected with WB, while 56 seedlings of RR showed WB. Yearly infection rates of WB were observed in several varieties of jujube including‘Boeun’,‘Keumsung’,‘Moodeung’,‘Bokjo’,‘Koori’(10 trees for each in Cheongjoo), and‘Hongan’(165 trees in Boeun). In most varieties, WB first appeared in the third year from transplanting, and in the seventh year, more than 80% of the total tree showed WB. The yearly infection rate of newly infected trees was almost. stable during the first years. However, the ratio sharply increased from the sixth year. The accumulated infection rate of WB increased double, year by year from the third to seventh year. Between Cheongjoo and Boeun, no difference in infection rates was found.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.98-103
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• 1985

근래에 이르러 예전의 좀 감정적인 용도로서의 성병(venereal disease)이라는 용어보다는 "성적으로" 전염되는 질환(sexually transmitted diseases; STDs)이라는 용어를 사용한다. STDs는 전염성 질환의 일단으로 그 주요한 전염경로가 성행위에 의한 것이다. 예전 용어 그 자체의 함축된 의미를 극소화시킬 필요성은 그렇다하더라도, 임질(gonorrhoea), 매독(syphilis), 비특이성(non-specific) 혹은 비임균성(non-gonococcal) 요도염 (urethritis), 연성하감(chancroid), 림포그래뉼로마 베네레움(lymphogranuloma venereum), 그래뉼로마 잉규나레(granuloma inguinale), 크라미디아 질환(chlamydial infection), 음부 혜르페스(genital herpes), 음부 사마귀(genital warts), 캔디다증(condidiasis), 트리코모나스(trichomoniasis), 마이코프라스마(mycoplasma))을 포함한 성병 (venereal disease)의 범위를 확대해야 할 필요가 있다. B형 간염(hepatitis B), B형 연쇄상구균(B-streptococcus), 사이토메가로바이러스(cytomegalovirus)도 역시 성적 전염이 가능하다. 전염이 가능하다.