• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.24-27
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• 2000

For the rapid diagnosis of vibriosis in penaeid shirmp, the indirect fluorescent antibody technique(IFAT) was established to detect Vibrio alginolyticus. The titers of the antisera used for this experiment were above 1280. Vibrio alginolyticus possesses the specific antigen, and also have antigens shared with other strains. When an V. alginolyticus-infected adult shirmp was tested by IFAT, V. alginolyticus was detected mainly in the muscle tissues near the injection point and the haemolymph but only few in other tissues. This result indicates that the pathogen bacteria could be detected by IFAT. Thus, it is suggested IFAT is more convenient and sensitive method than conventional plate method for the diagnosis of induced Vibrio infection in the penaeid shrimps.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.286-295
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• 2020

Respiratory infections are very common and highly contagious. Respiratory infectious diseases affect not only the person infected but also the family members and the society. As medical sciences advance, several diseases have been conquered; however, the impact of novel infectious diseases on the society is enormous. As the clinical presentation of respiratory infections is similar regardless of the pathogen, the causative agent is not distinguishable by symptoms alone. Moreover, it is difficult to develop a cure because of the various viral mutations. Various respiratory infectious diseases ranging from influenza, which threaten the health of mankind globally, to the coronavirus disease 2019, which resulted in a pandemic, exist. Contrary to human expectations that development in health care and improvement in hygiene will conquer infectious diseases, humankind's health and social systems are threatened by novel infectious diseases. Owing to the development of transport and trading activity, the rate of spread of new infectious diseases is increasing. As respiratory infections can threaten the members of the global community at any time, investigations on preventing the transmission of these diseases as well as development of effective antivirals and vaccines are of utmost importance and require a worldwide effort.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2017

Nocardia species (spp.) are opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised hosts. The genus Nocardia contains more than 70 species. Nocardia takedensis has been recently reported as a new species of the genus Nocardia. In this study, we describes the first clinical isolate of N. takedensis from the skin lesion in Busan, Korea. For the identification of clinical isolate to the species level as N. takedensis, classical methods (colony morphology, biochemical characteristics, and antimicrobial susceptibility), molecular method (16S rRNA gene sequencing), and MS (mass spectrometry) analysis were conducted. Clinical isolates grew slowly on the culture media (5% sheep blood agar and chocolate agar) under 5% $CO_2$ condition. Especially, carotene pigmentation was detected well on the media. Using mass spectrometry, Nocardia isolate was not identified to the species level. However, molecular method based on 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed the isolate as N. takedensis correctly. N. takedensis isolate was partial positive for acid-fast bacilli on the Ziehl-Neelsen method. And it was observed to be resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and ciprofloxacin. Our results provide useful information to develop optimal identification protocol of N. takedensis in clinical diagnostic laboratories.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2012

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe lower respiratory tract diseases in infancy and early childhood. Despite its importance as a pathogen, there is no licensed vaccine against RSV yet. The attachment glycoprotein (G) of RSV is a potentially important target for protective antiviral immune responses. Recombinant baculovirus has been recently emerged as a new vaccine vector, since it has intrinsic immunostimulatory properties and good bio-safety profile. Methods: We have constructed a recombinant baculovirus-based RSV vaccine, Bac-RSV/G, displaying G glycoprotein, and evaluated immunogenicity and protective efficacy by intranasal immunization of BALB/c mice with Bac-RSV/G. Results: Bac-RSV/G efficiently provides protective immunity against RSV challenge. Strong serum IgG and mucosal IgA responses were induced by intranasal immunization with Bac-RSV/G. In addition to humoral immunity, G-specific Th17- as well as Th1-type T-cell responses were detected in the lungs of Bac-RSV/G-immune mice upon RSV challenge. Neither lung eosinophilia nor vaccine-induced weight loss was observed upon Bac-RSV/G immunization and subsequent RSV infection. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that intranasal administration of baculovirus-based Bac-RSV/G vaccine is efficient for the induction of protection against RSV and represents a promising prophylactic vaccination regimen.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.241-246
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• 2015

Helicobacter pylori is an important transmissible human pathogen found on the luminal surface of the gastric epithelium. The organism can persist in the stomach indefinitely and causes gastroduodenal inflammation that may proceed to atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric MALT lymphoma, and gastric cancer. Standard triple therapy which consists of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) plus two antibiotics (amoxicillin and clarithromycin) is now generally used in Korea, however, eradication rates of H. pylori has been decreasing due to increasing antibiotic resistance. In this review, current second-line treatment regimens, difficult problems on treatment, necessity of local target therapy, applicability of clay minerals as a drug delivery system (DDS), and a new therapeutic strategy and its study plans will be discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1502-1509
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• 2015

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of combined treatments (slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW), ultrasound (US), or mild heat (60℃)) on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in fresh-cut bell pepper, and the shelf-life and sensory quality (color and texture) were followed during storage at 4℃ and 25℃. An additional 0.65, 1.72, and 2.70 log CFU/g reduction was achieved by heat treatments at 60℃ for 1 min for DW, SAEW, and SAEW+US, respectively. Regardless of the type of pathogen, the combined treatment (SAEW+US+60℃) achieved a significantly (p < 0.05) longer lag time in all treatment groups. This combined treatment also prolonged the shelf-life of bell pepper up to 8 days and 30 h for the storage at 4℃ and 25℃, respectively. There was also no significant difference in the color and hardness of treated (SAEW+US+60℃) bell pepper from that of control during the storage. This new hurdle approach is thus expected to improve the microbial safety of bell peppers during storage and distribution.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1207-1215
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• 2014

Candida albicans, the major human fungal pathogen, undergoes morphological transition from the budding yeast form to filamentous growth in response to nitrogen starvation. In this study, we identified a new function of GST2, whose expression was required for filamentous growth of C. albicans under nitrogen-limiting conditions. The Gst2p showed Gst activity and required response to oxidative stress. The ${\Delta}gst2$ mutant displayed predominantly yeast phase growth in low ammonium media. Such morphological defect of ${\Delta}gst2$ mutants was not rescued by overexpression of Mep2p, Cph1p, or Efg1p, but was rescued by either overexpression of a hyperactive $RAS1^{G13V}$ allele or through exogenous addition of cyclic AMP. In addition, the ${\Delta}gst2$ mutants had lower levels of RAS1 transcripts than wild-type cells under conditions of nitrogen starvation. These results were consistent with the Ras1-cAMP pathway as a possible downstream target of Gst2p. These findings suggest that Gst2p is a significant component of nitrogen starvation-induced filamentation in C. albicans.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1322-1326
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• 2013

New antifungal agents are required to compensate for the increase in resistance to standard antifungal agents of Candida albicans, which is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes minor infections in many individuals but very serious infections in those who are immune-compromised. In this study, combinations of theaflavin and epicatechin are investigated as potential antifungal agents and also to establish whether antifungal synergy exists between these two readily accessible and cost-effective polyphenols isolated from black and green tea. The results of disc diffusion assays showed stronger antibacterial activity of theaflavin:epicatechin combinations against C. albicans NCTC 3255 and NCTC 3179, than that of theaflavin alone. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 1,024 ${\mu}g/ml$ with theaflavin and 128-256 ${\mu}g/ml$ with theaflavin:epicatechin combinations were found. The fractional inhibitory concentration indexes were calculated, and the synergy between theaflavin and epicatechin against both isolates of C. albicans was confirmed. Theaflavin:epicatechin combinations show real potential for future use as a treatment for infections caused by C. albicans.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.312-316
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• 2005

To develop a new natural antibiotics from Koran plant resources for dealing with the current situation regarding the rapid increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogen, the in vitro inhibitory activities of essential oils from the young leaves of Glehnia littoralis (Umbelliferae) as well as its main constituents were evaluated against susceptible and resistant species of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The essential oil fraction of G. littoralis and its main components, $\alpha-and\;\beta-pinene$, exhibited significant inhibitory activities against the antibiotic-susceptible and resistant strains of S. pneumoniae, with MICs (minimum inhibiting concentrations) ranging from 4.0mg/ml to 16mg/ml. No remarkable differences were shown between the susceptible and resistant strains. Moreover, the disk diffusion test disclosed that these inhibitory activities were dose­dependent. Furthermore, data from the checkerboard titer test with FICIs (fractional inhibiting concentration indices) from 0.15 to 0.28 indicated synergisms between norfloxacin and $\alpha-or\;{\beta}-pinene$ in activity against S. pneumoniae KCCM49629 and S. pneumoniae CCARM4059.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.7.1-7.1
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• 2011

Nanoporous templates have been widely used for the development of new functional nanostructured materials suitable for electronics, optics, magnetism, and energy storage materials. We have prepared nanoporous templates by using thin films of mixtures of polystyrene-block-poly (methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and PMMA homopolymers. These templates have cylindrical nanoholes spanning the entire thickness of the film. Some applications of nanoporous templates are introduced: a) anti-reflective coating, b) the preparation of conducting polymer nanowires of poly (pyrrole), poly (3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiopene) onto a glass coated with indium-tin-oxide, and c) the separation membranes for biomaterials. We found that when the pore fraction of nanoholes in the film was ~0.68, almost zero reflectance at a specific wavelength, which can be changed with film thickness, was achieved at visible wavelengths Furthermore, ultra high density array of conducting nanowires was successfully prepared onto various substrates including flexible polymer. Due to highly alignment of polymer chain along the nanowire direction, the conductivity was much increased. Furthermore, these nanoporous films were found to be very effective for the separation of human Rhinovirus type 14 (HRV 14), major pathogen of a common cold in humans, from the buffer solution. We also found that when the pore size was effectively controlled down to 6 nm, a single file diffusion was observed.