• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.230-235
• /
• 2020

The global evolution of antibiotic resistance has threatened the efficacy of available treatment options with ravaging impacts observed in developing countries. As a result, investigations into the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and the role of plasmids are crucial. In this study, we investigated the presence and distribution of bla_TEM and gyrA genes, plasmid profiles, and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Salmonella strains isolated from raw meat and stool sources across Niger State, Nigeria. Ninety-eight samples, comprising 72 raw meat and 26 stool samples, were screened for Salmonella spp. The antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella isolates to 10 commonly used antimicrobial agents was determined using the KirbyBauer disc diffusion method. Isolates were further analyzed for plasmids, in addition to PCR amplification of beta-lactamase (bla_TEM) and gyrA genes. A total of 31 Salmonella spp. were isolated, with 22 from raw meat (70.97%) and 9 from stool (29.03%). Salmonella spp. with multiple resistance patterns to ceftazidime, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, ampicillin, cloxacillin, and gentamicin were detected. Ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were found to be the most effective among the antibiotics tested, with 67.7% and 93.5% susceptible isolates, respectively. Nine (29.03%) isolates harbored plasmids with molecular sizes ranging between 6557 bp and 23137 bp. PCR amplification of gyrA was detected in 1 (3.23%) of the 31 isolates while 28 isolates (90.32%) were positive for bla_TEM. This study shows the incidence of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella isolates and the possible role of plasmids; it also highlights the prevalence of ampicillin resistance in this local population.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
• /
• v.50 no.11
• /
• pp.9.1-9.10
• /
• 2018

Although the positive effects of recombinant fibroblast growth factor-2 (rFGF-2) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been implicated in previous studies, knowledge of its role in COPD remains limited. The mechanism of FGF2 in a COPD mouse model and the therapeutic potential of rFGF-2 were investigated in COPD. The mechanism and protective effects of rFGF-2 were evaluated in cigarette smoke-exposed or elastase-induced COPD animal models. Inflammation was assessed in alveolar cells and lung tissues from mice. FGF-2 was decreased in the lungs of cigarette smoke-exposed mice. Intranasal use of rFGF-2 significantly reduced macrophage-dominant inflammation and alveolar destruction in the lungs. In the elastase-induced emphysema model, rFGF-2 improved regeneration of the lungs. In humans, plasma FGF-2 was decreased significantly in COPD compared with normal subjects (10 subjects, P = 0.037). The safety and efficacy of inhaled rFGF-2 use was examined in COPD patients, along with changes in respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function. A 2-week treatment with inhaled rFGF-2 in COPD (n = 6) resulted in significantly improved respiratory symptoms compared with baseline levels (P < 0.05); however, the results were not significant compared with the placebo. The pulmonary function test results of COPD improved numerically compared with those in the placebo, but the difference was not statistically significant. No serious adverse events occurred during treatment with inhaled rFGF-2. The loss of FGF-2 production is an important mechanism in the development of COPD. Inhaling rFGF-2 may be a new therapeutic option for patients with COPD because rFGF-2 decreases inflammation in lungs exposed to cigarette smoke.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.431-441
• /
• 2019

Background: The efficacy of ginseng, the representative product of Korea, and its chemical effects have been well investigated. The ginsenoside RG3 has been reported to exhibit apoptotic, anticancer, and antidepressant-like effects. Methods: In this report, the putative effect of RG3 on several cellular function including cell survival, differentiation, development and aging process were evaluated by monitoring each specific marker. Also, mitochondrial morphology and function were investigated in ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblast cells. Results: RG3 treatment increased the expression of extracellular matrix proteins, growth-associated immediate-early genes, and cell proliferation genes in UV-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblast cells. And, RG3 also resulted in enhanced expression of antioxidant proteins such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 and heme oxygenase-1. In addition, RG3 affects the morphology of UV-induced mitochondria and plays a role in protecting mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusioin: RG3 restores mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and membrane potential via its antioxidant effects in skin cells damaged by UV irradiation, leading to an increase in proteins linked with the extracellular matrix, cell proliferation, and antioxidant activity.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 2013

Objectives : This study was conducted to measure the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of water- and ethanol-extracts from Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Punica granatum and Rhus javanica against various species of anaerobic bacteria. Methods : In order to evaluate the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of water- and ethanol-extracts, DPPH radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities were measured in various species such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Propionibacterium acnes that induce skin inflammation. Also the total amount of phenol in each water- and ethanol-extract was measured to identify its role in the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of water- and ethanol-extracts from Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Punica granatum and Rhus javanica. The antibacterial activity of the extracts was measured by confirming the lowest concentrations in disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests. Results : It was observed that RJE (Rhus javanica-EtOH extracts) show the highest content of total phenol. In addition, for RJE the total phenol content was higher from samples taken from domestic sources than from samples taken from foreign sources. DPPH radical scavenging activity was increased by treatment with PGE (Punica granatum-EtOH extracts), RJE and RJW (Rhus javanica-water extracts). It was observed that SOD-like activity was highest in the treatment with PGE. All of the extracts showed antimicrobial activity on S. epidermidis, S. aureus, P. acnes and E. coli, including those from Punica granatum, and it was noted that the activity was higher with RJE than with RJW. Conclusions : These results provide evidence that ethanol extracts of Punica granatum and Rhus javanica may have a beneficial role as antioxidants and antibiotics. Extracts from domestic samples of Betula platyphylla var japonica appeared to have a greater efficacy than extracts from foreign samples.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.466-485
• /
• 2023

Crop productivity can be obstructed by various biotic and abiotic stresses and thus these stresses are a threat to universal food security. The information on the use of viruses providing efficacy to plants facing growth challenges owing to stress is lacking. The role of induction of pathogen-related genes by microbes is also colossal in drought-endurance acquisition. Studies put forward the importance of viruses as sustainable means for defending plants against dual stress. A fundamental part of research focuses on a positive interplay between viruses and plants. Notably, the tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) possess the capacity to safeguard tomato host plants against severe drought conditions. This study aims to explore the combined effects of TYLCV, ToCV, and drought stress on two tomato cultivars, Money Maker (MK, UK) and Shalala (SH, Azerbaijan). The expression of pathogen-related four cellulose synthase gene families (CesA/Csl) which have been implicated in drought and virus resistance based on gene expression analysis, was assessed using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The molecular tests revealed significant upregulation of Ces-A2, Csl-D3,2, and Csl-D3,1 genes in TYLCV and ToCV-infected tomato plants. CesA/Csl genes, responsible for biosynthesis within the MK and SH tomato cultivars, play a role in defending against TYLCV and ToCV. Additionally, physiological parameters such as "relative water content," "specific leaf weight," "leaf area," and "dry biomass" were measured in dual-stressed tomatoes. Using these features, it might be possible to cultivate TYLCV-resistant plants during seasons characterized by water scarcity.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.56 no.9
• /
• pp.482-487
• /
• 2023

Hematopoiesis is regulated by crosstalk between long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) and supporting niche cells in the bone marrow (BM). Here, we describe the role of KAI1, which is mainly expressed on LT-HSCs and rarely on other hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells (HSPCs), in niche-mediated LT-HSC maintenance. KAI1 activates TGF-β1/Smad3 signal in LT-HSCs, leading to the induction of CDK inhibitors and inhibition of the cell cycle. The KAI1-binding partner DARC is expressed on macrophages and stabilizes KAI1 on LT-HSCs, promoting their quiescence. Conversely, when DARC+ BM macrophages were absent, the level of surface KAI1 on LT-HSCs decreases, leading to cell-cycle entry, proliferation, and differentiation. Thus, KAI1 acts as a functional surface marker of LT-HSCs that regulates dormancy through interaction with DARC-expressing macrophages in the BM stem cell niche. Recently, we showed very special and rare macrophages expressing α-SMA+ COX2+ & DARC+ induce not only dormancy of LT-HSC through interaction of KAI1-DARC but also protect HSCs by down-regulating ROS through COX2 signaling. In the near future, the strategy to combine KAI1-positive LT-HSCs and α-SMA/Cox2/DARC triple-positive macrophages will improve the efficacy of stem cell transplantation after the ablative chemo-therapy for hematological disorders including leukemia.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.666-677
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study was intended to evaluate the effects of an Infant Health Promotion Program (IHPP) for mothers with their firstborn infants. Methods: This study employed a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants consisted of 17 mothers with their firstborn infants in the experimental group and 17 in the control group from two women's hospitals. The experimental group received eight sessions of the program for four weeks. The collected data were analyzed using the chi-square test and repeated-measures ANOVA using an SPSS/WIN ver. 22.0. Results: The experimental group receiving the program had statistically significant higher levels of infant health promotion knowledge (F = 22.91, p < .001), social support (F = 27.64, p < .001), maternal role confidence (F = 8.25, p = .005) and health promotion behavior for infants (F = 16.85, p < .001) than the control group. The experimental group had a statistically significant lower level of parenting stress than the control group (F = 29.93, p < .001). Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that the IHPP is effective in improving health promotion knowledge, social support, and maternal role confidence and decreasing parenting stress among mothers with their firstborn infants. A method of delivering intervention, focused on readily accessible online platforms, coupled with intervention strategies grounded in the theory of self-efficacy, proves to be an advantageous approach for this particular target group.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.20.1-20.9
• /
• 2022

Despite the high prevalence of chronic dermatitis and the accompanied intractable itch, therapeutics that specifically target itching have low efficacy. Increasing evidence suggests that TLRs contribute to immune activation and neural sensitization; however, their roles in chronic itch remain elusive. Here, we show that the RBL-2H3 mast cell line expresses TLR4 and that treatment with a TLR4 antagonist opposes the LPS dependent increase in mRNA levels of Th2 and innate cytokines. The pathological role of TLR4 activation in itching was studied in neonate rats that developed chronic itch due to neuronal damage after receiving subcutaneous capsaicin injections. Treatment with a TLR4 antagonist protected these rats with chronic itch against scratching behavior and chronic dermatitis. TLR4 antagonist treatment also restored the density of cutaneous nerve fibers and inhibited the histopathological changes that are associated with mast cell activation after capsaicin injection. Additionally, the expression of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 mRNA in the lesional skin decreased after TLR4 antagonist treatment. Based on these data, we propose that inhibiting TLR4 alleviated itch in a rat model of chronic relapsing itch, and the reduction in the itch was associated with TLR4 signaling in mast cells and nerve fibers.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.39-69
• /
• 2012

With the advent of communication technologies including electronic collaborative tools and conferencing systems provided over the Internet, virtual collaboration is becoming increasingly common in organizations. Virtual collaboration refers to an environment in which the people working together are interdependent in their tasks, share responsibility for outcomes, are geographically dispersed, and rely on mediated rather than face-to face, communication to produce an outcome. Research suggests that new sets of individual skill, knowledge, and ability (SKAs) are required to perform effectively in today's virtualized workplace, which is labeled as individual virtual competence. It is also argued that use of online social networking sites may influence not only individuals' daily lives but also their capability to manage their work-related relationships in organizations, which in turn leads to better performance. The existing research regarding (1) the relationship between virtual competence and task performance and (2) the relationship between online networking and task performance has been conducted based on different theoretical perspectives so that little is known about how online social networking and virtual competence interplay to predict individuals' task performance. To fill this gap, this study raises the following research questions: (1) What is the individual virtual competence required for better adjustment to the virtual collaboration environment? (2) How does online networking via diverse social network service sites influence individuals' task performance in organizations? (3) How do the joint effects of individual virtual competence and online networking influence task performance? To address these research questions, we first draw on the prior literature and derive four dimensions of individual virtual competence that are related with an individual's self-concept, knowledge and ability. Computer self-efficacy is defined as the extent to which an individual beliefs in his or her ability to use computer technology broadly. Remotework self-efficacy is defined as the extent to which an individual beliefs in his or her ability to work and perform joint tasks with others in virtual settings. Virtual media skill is defined as the degree of confidence of individuals to function in their work role without face-to-face interactions. Virtual social skill is an individual's skill level in using technologies to communicate in virtual settings to their full potential. It should be noted that the concept of virtual social skill is different from the self-efficacy and captures an individual's cognition-based ability to build social relationships with others in virtual settings. Next, we discuss how online networking influences both individual virtual competence and task performance based on the social network theory and the social learning theory. We argue that online networking may enhance individuals' capability in expanding their social networks with low costs. We also argue that online networking may enable individuals to learn the necessary skills regarding how they use technological functions, communicate with others, and share information and make social relations using the technical functions provided by electronic media, consequently increasing individual virtual competence. To examine the relationships among online networking, virtual competence, and task performance, we developed research models (the mediation, interaction, and additive models, respectively) by integrating the social network theory and the social learning theory. Using data from 112 employees of a virtualized company, we tested the proposed research models. The results of analysis partly support the mediation model in that online social networking positively influences individuals' computer self-efficacy, virtual social skill, and virtual media skill, which are key predictors of individuals' task performance. Furthermore, the results of the analysis partly support the interaction model in that the level of remotework self-efficacy moderates the relationship between online social networking and task performance. The results paint a picture of people adjusting to virtual collaboration that constrains and enables their task performance. This study contributes to research and practice. First, we suggest a shift of research focus to the individual level when examining virtual phenomena and theorize that online social networking can enhance individual virtual competence in some aspects. Second, we replicate and advance the prior competence literature by linking each component of virtual competence and objective task performance. The results of this study provide useful insights into how human resource responsibilities assess employees' weakness and strength when they organize virtualized groups or projects. Furthermore, it provides managers with insights into the kinds of development or training programs that they can engage in with their employees to advance their ability to undertake virtual work.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2008

According to technology acceptance model(TAN) which is one of the most important research models for explaining IT users' behavior, on intention of using IT is determined by usefulness and ease of use of it. However, TAM wouldn't explain the performance of using IT while it has been considered as a very good model for prediction of the intention. Many people would not be confirmed in the performance of using IT until they can control it at their will, although they think it useful and easy to use. In other words, in addition to usefulness and ease of use as in TAM, controllability is also should be a factor to determine acceptance of IT. Especially, there is a very close relationship between controllability and ease of use, both of which explain the other sides of control over the performance of using IT, so called perceived behavioral control(PBC) in social psychology. The objective of this study is to identify the relationship between ease of use and controllability, and analyse the effects of both two beliefs over performance and intention in using IT. For this purpose, we review the issues related with PBC in information systems studies as well as social psychology, Based on a review of PBC, we suggest a research model which includes the relationship between control and performance in using IT, and prove its validity empirically. Since it was introduced as qa variable for explaining volitional control for actions in theory of planned behavior(TPB), there have been confusion about concept of PBC in spite of its important role in predicting so many kinds of actions. Some studies define PBC as self-efficacy that means actor's perception of difficulty or ease of actions, while others as controllability. However, this confusion dose not imply conceptual contradiction but a double-faced feature of PBC since the performance of actions is related with both self-efficacy and controllability. In other words, these two concepts are discriminated and correlated with each other. Therefore, PBC should be considered as a composite concept consisting of self-efficacy and controllability, Use of IT has been also one of important areas for predictions by PBC. Most of them have been studied by analysis of comparison in prediction power between TAM and TPB or modification of TAM by inclusion of PBC as another belief as like usefulness and ease of use. Interestingly, unlike the other applications in social psychology, it is hard to find such confusion in the concept of PBC in the studies for use of IT. In most of studies, controllability is adapted as PBC since the concept of self-efficacy is included in ease of use explicitly. Based on these discussions, we can suggest perceived use control(PUC) which is defined as perception of control over the performance of using IT and composed of controllability and ease of use as sub-concepts. We suggest a research model explaining acceptance of IT which includes the relationships of PUC with attitude and performance of using IT. For empirical test of our research model, two user groups are selected for surveying questionnaires. In the first group, there are freshmen who take a basic course for Microsoft Excel, and the second group consists of senior students who take a course for analysis of management information by Excel. Most of measurements are adapted ones that have been validated in the other studies, while performance is real score of mid-term in each class. In result, four hypotheses related with PUC are supported statistically with very low significance level. Main contribution of this study is suggestion of PUC through theoretical review of PBC. Specifically, a hierarchical model of PUC are derived from very rigorous studies in the relationship between self-efficacy and controllability with a view of PBC in social psychology. The relationship between PUC and performance is another main contribution.