• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.382-392
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• 2017

This study reports the findings of a distinct Potato virus Y (PVY) isolate found in Northeast China. One hundred and ten samples (leaves and tubers) were collected from potato plants showing mosaic symptoms around the city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province of China. The collected tubers were planted and let to grow in a greenhouse. New potato plants generated from these tubers showed similar symptoms, except for one plant. Subsequent serological analyses revealed PVY as the causing agent of the disease. A novel PVY isolate (referred to as HLJ-C-44 in this study) was isolated from this sample showing unique mild mosaic and crisped leaf margin symptoms. The complete genome of this isolate was analyzed and determined. The results showed that HLJ-C-44 is a typical PVY isolate. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this isolate belongs to the N-Wi strain group of PVY recombinants ($PVY^{N-Wi}$) and also shared the highest overall sequence identity (nucleotide and amino acid) with other members of this strain group. However, recombination analysis of isolate HLJ-C-44 revealed a recombination pattern that differed from that of other $PVY^{N-Wi}$ isolates. Moreover, biological assays in four different potato cultivars and in Nicotiana tabacum also revealed a different phenotypic response than that of a typical $PVY^{N-Wi}$ isolate. This data, combined, suggest that HLJ-C-44 is a novel PVY recombinant with distinct biological properties.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제64권6호
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• pp.301-309
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• 2021

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic autoimmune enteropathy. It results from genetic predisposition and exposure to gluten-containing food. The prevalence and presentation of CD vary among populations. Purpose: This study aimed to describe the prevalence and clinical characteristics of CD in children in Bahrain. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children diagnosed with CD in the pediatric department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain, in 1988-2018. Their clinical, biochemical, serological, and histopathological findings were documented. Adherence to the recommended gluten-free diet (GFD) was assessed. Results: Of 86 patients with CD, 67 were included. The CD prevalence was 0.02%. A significant increase in prevalence in the last decade was observed (P<0.0001). Thirty-eight patients (56.7%) were males. The median (interquartile range) age at presentation was 4.45 (1.5-7.3) years. A family history of CD was positive in 13 out of 43 patients (30.2%). Pallor and failure to thrive were the most common presentations. The most frequent associated disease was iron-deficiency anemia in 23 patients (69.7%). Positive serology was found in 32 of 45 patients (71.1%). Marsh-Oberhuber type III was found in 16 of 35 patients (45.7%). Seropositive patients were significantly older (P=0.025) and had more severe duodenal histology (P=0.002). Adherence to GFD was poor in 27 patients (64.3%). Conclusion: This study revealed a significant increase in CD prevalence over the last decade. Atypical presentations were frequent. Most patients had poor adherence to GFD.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.145-152
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• 2019

Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are transmitted by different groups of hematophagous arthropod vectors that are distributed worldwide and can cause significant health problems for dogs. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the prevalence of selected CVBD pathogens in rural outdoor dogs based on prevention status. Between June 2017 and February 2019, blood samples were collected from 343 clinically healthy rural dogs composing two different groups: systematically managed dogs (SMD; n=92) and personally managed dogs (PMD; n=251). Vaccination and preventive medications were applied strictly following the programmed schedule for the SMD group; in contrast, in the PMD group, they were applied only when requested by the dog owners. Serological and molecular assessments showed that significantly more dogs in the PMD group were infected with B. gibsoni (P<0.001) and D. immitis (P=0.001) than those in the SMD group. These findings suggest that the regular use of preventive medications and environmental controlling efforts contribute to reducing the prevalence of CVBD pathogen infections. In addition, dogs infected with certain kinds of CVBD pathogens could remain asymptomatic, suggesting that continuous monitoring and periodic preventive treatment should be conducted even for clinically healthy dogs.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제59권2호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2019

We investigated whether ${\beta}$-carotene (${\beta}-CA$) or ellagic acid (EA), originating from various fruits and vegetables, has a preventive effect against male infertility induced by exogenous scrotal hyperthermia. ICR adult mice were intraperitoneally treated with 10 mg/kg of ${\beta}-CA$ or EA daily for 13 days consecutively. During this time, mice were subjected to transient scrotal heat stress in a water bath at $43^{\circ}C$ for 20 min on day 7, and their testes and blood were obtained on day 14 for histopathologic and biochemical analyses. Heat stress induced significant testicular weight reduction, germ cell loss and degeneration, as well as abnormal localization of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in spermatogenic and Leydig cells. Heat stress also altered the levels of oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation, SOD activity, and PHGPx, MnSOD, and $HIF-1{\alpha}$ mRNAs), apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-xL, caspase 3, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and $TGF-{\beta}1$ mRNAs), and androgen biosynthesis (serological testosterone concentration and $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNA) in testes. These changes were all improved significantly by ${\beta}-CA$ treatment, but only slightly improved by EA treatment. These findings indicate that ${\beta}-CA$, through modulations of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and androgen biosynthesis, is a potent preventive agent against testicular injuries induced by scrotal hyperthermia.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권12호
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• pp.1605-1614
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• 2022

The strains associated with foodborne Salmonella enterica Thompson outbreaks in Korea have not been identified. Therefore, we characterized S. Thompson strains isolated from chocolate cakes linked to foodborne outbreaks in Korea. A total of 56 strains were isolated from preserved cake products, products in the supply chain distribution, the manufacturer's apparatus, and egg white liquid products used for cream preparation. Subsequently, serological typing, pathogenic gene-targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and whole-genome multi-locus sequence typing (wgMLST) were performed to characterize these isolates. The antigen formula of all isolates was 7:k:1,5, namely Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Thompson. All 56 isolates harbored invA, his, hin, and stn, and were negative for sefA and spvC based on gene-targeted PCR analyses. Based on PFGE results, these isolates were classified into one group based on the same SP6X01.011 pattern with 100% similarity. We selected 19 strains based on the region and sample type, which were subjected to wgMLST. Although the examined strains showed 100% similarity, they were classified into seven clusters based on allelic differences. According to our findings, the cause of these outbreaks was chocolate cake manufactured with egg white liquid contaminated with the same Salmonella Thompson. Additionally, comparative analysis of wgMLST on domestic isolates of S. Thompson from the three outbreaks showed genetic similarities of over 99.6%. Based on the results, the PFGE and wgMLST combination can provide highly resolved phylogeny and reliable evidence during Salmonella outbreak investigations.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.104-110
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• 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)는 호흡기계 뿐만 아니라 소화기계에도 감염을 일으킨다. 이중 SARS-CoV-2가 급성 췌장염을 일으키는 경우는 성인과 소아를 포함하여coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 확진 환자의 약 0.16% 정도이다. COVID-19에 확진된 소아 환자에서의 급성 췌장염은 그 동안 소아다기관염증증후군이나 중증의 코로나 감염 환자에서 동반 질환으로 보고되는 게 대부분이며 단독으로 급성 췌장염만 일으키는 사례는 거의 없었다. 저자들은 SARS-CoV-2에 감염된 소아 환자에게서 단독으로 급성 췌장염이 발생한 예를 경험하였고 성공적으로 치료하였기에 보고하는 바이다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.418-427
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• 2023

Toxoplasma gondii infections are primarily diagnosed by serological assays, whereas molecular and fluorescence-based techniques are garnering attention for their high sensitivity in detecting these infections. Nevertheless, each detection method has its limitations. The toxoplasmosis detection capabilities of most of the currently available methods have not been evaluated under identical experimental conditions. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with various doses of T. gondii ME49. The detection of toxoplasmosis from sera and brain tissues was markedly enhanced in mice subjected to high infection doses (200 and 300 cysts) compared to those subjected to lower doses (10 and 50 cysts) for all the detection methods. Additionally, increased B1 gene expression levels and cyst sizes were observed in the brain tissues of the mice. Importantly, IHC, IF, and ELISA, but not RT-PCR, successfully detected T. gondii infections at the lowest infection dose (10 cysts) in the brain. These findings may prove beneficial while designing experimental methodologies for detecting T. gondii infections in mice.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.104-113
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• 2014

목적: 본 연구는 최근 10년 동안 전주 예수병원에 쯔쯔가무시병으로 입원한 환자를 조사하여 소아와 성인의 임상 양상을 비교하고자 하였다. 방법: 2003년 1월부터 2012년 12월까지, 쯔쯔가무시병의 진단 기준에 포함되는 768명의 환자를 후향적으로 검토하여, 소아 49명, 성인 719명의 임상적 특징과 검사소견 및 합병증 등을 분석 비교하였다. 결과: 연도별 환자의 증가 추세는 소아와 성인 모두에서 뚜렷하게 보이지 않았고, 10월과 11월에 환자가 가장 많이 발생하였다. 남녀비에서 소아는 남아가 많은 반면에, 성인은 여자가 많았고, 거주 지역은 소아가 성인에 비해 도시가 더 많았다. 증상은 소아에서 발진과 가피가 많았고, 근육통은 성인에서 더 많았다. 검사상 소아는 빈혈이 많은 반면에, 혈소판, 간기능, 신기능의 이상 소견이 적었다. 입원 기간과 합병증에서는 성인보다 양호한 결과를 보였다. 소아에서 독시사이클린과 마크로라이드계열 항생제의 치료 효과를 비교하였을 때, 두 약제 간에 유의한 차이는 보이지 않았다. 결론: 쯔쯔가무시병 환자에서 소아는 남아에서 많았고, 발진 및 가피의 발생이 더 많았다. 검사상 이상 소견은 성인에 비해 경하였으며, 입원 기간이 짧고, 합병증이 적으며, 마크로라이드계열 항생제에도 동일한 치료 효과를 보였다. 따라서 유행 시기에, 소아에서 쯔쯔가무시병이 의심될 때에는, 세밀한 이학적 진찰과 혈청학적 검사를 실시하여 빠른 진단을 내릴 수 있도록 노력해야 하며, 상대적으로 부작용이 적은 마크로라이드계 항생제로도 좋은 치료 결과를 기대해 볼 수 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.9005-9008
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• 2014

Background: Gastric cancer is the second leading course of cancer death worldwide and H. pylori infection is an important risk factor for gastric cancer development. This study was design to evaluate the clinical, pathological features, survival rate and prevalence of H. pylori infection in gastric cancer in Thailand. Materials and Methods: Clinical information, histological features, endoscopic findings and H. pylori status were collected from gastric cancer patients from Thammasat university hospital during June 1996-December 2011. H. pylori infection was assessed by histological evaluation, rapid urease test and serological test. Clinical information, endoscopic findings and histopathology of all patients were recorded and compared between patients with active or non-active H. pylori infection. Results: A total of 100 gastric cancer patients (55 men and 45 women with mean age of $55{\pm}16.8years$) were enrolled in this study. Common presenting symptoms were dyspepsia (74%), weight loss (66%), anemia (63%) and anorexia (38%). Mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 98 days. Overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 83% and active H. pylori infection was 40%. 1-year and 5-year survival rates were 43% and 0%. There was no significant difference between active H. pylori infection in different locations (proximal vs non-proximal: 47.1% vs 48.5%; P-value = 0.9, OR=0.9; 95%CI=0.3-3.1) and histology of gastric cancer (diffuse type vs intestinal type: 47.4% vs 50%; P-value = 0.8, OR=0.9, 95%CI=0.3-2.7). However, linitis plastica was significantly more common in non-active than active H. pylori infection (27.9% vs 0%; P-value<0.0001, OR=13.3, 95%CI=3.2-64.5). Moreover, gastric cancer stage 4 was higher in non-active than active H. pylori infection (93% vs 50%, P-value<0.001). Conclusions: Prevalence of H. pylori infection in Thai gastric cancer patients was high but active infection was low. Most gastric cancer patients presented in advance stage and had a grave prognosis. Screening for gastric cancer in high risk individuals might be an appropriate tool for early detection and improve the treatment outcome for this particular disease in Thailand.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.586-597
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• 1999

연구배경: 객담 도말 및 배양 검사나 방사선학적 검사 등의 기존의 결핵 진단 방법은 낮은 민감도와 진단까지 소요되는 기간이 길다는 단점이 있어서 결핵의 조기 진단 및 치료에 제한점이 있었다. 최근에 혈청학적 진단 방법의 하나로 개발된 immunochromatographic assay 기구들이 소개되고, 외국에서 비교적 높은 진단율를 보여, 결핵 유병율이 높은 국내에서 그 유용성을 평가하고, 질병 양상에 따른 차이점을 조사하여, 기존의 결핵 진단 방법들의 문제점을 해결할 수 있는지 알아보고자하였다. 연구방법: 환자군을 폐결핵 환자군(36명), 폐외결핵 환자군(3명) 및 두 가지 모두 이환된 군(22명)으로 나누었으며, 대조군은 과거 결핵 병력이 있는 비활동성 결핵환자(17명), 결핵이외의 폐질환자(16명) 및 폐질환이 없는 심장 환자(14명)를 대상으로 38kDa 항체를 포함한 ICT tuberculosis 또는 BioSign$^{TM}$TB를 이용하여 혈청화적 검사를 시행하였다. 결 과: ICT tuberculosis를 사용한 경우, 환자군 56명 및 대조군 47명에 대하여 64.3%의 민감도 및 91.5%의 특이도를 나타내었으며, 폐결핵만 있는 환자군에서 76.5%의 민감도를 보여, 폐외 결핵만 있는 환자군(33.3%)나 두 가지 모두 이환된 군(47.4%)에 비하여 더 높은 민감도를 나타내었다(p=0.039). BioSign$^{TM}$TB를 이용한 경우, 환자군 43명 및 대조군 43 명에 대하여 74.4%의 민감도 및 95.3%의 특이도를 보였으며, 폐질환이 없는 환자군에서는 100%의 특이도를 나타내었다. 환자군중에서 초발환자 및 과거 폐결핵 병력이 있는 환자군 사이에는 민감도에 차이가 없었으며, 공동성 폐결핵 환자와 비공동성 폐결핵 환자사이에 검사상 민감도 차이는 통계적으로 유의하지 않았다(73.3% vs. 69.6%, p>0.05). 결 론: 혈청학적 방법의 하나인 immunochromatographic assay 기구는 높은 특이도와 양성 예측도를 보여 임상적 유용성이 기대되나, 상대적으로 낮은 민감도와 음성 예측도를 고려할 때, 단독 사용보다는 기존 방법과의 상보적 사용이 결핵진단에 더 도움이 될 것으로 생각된다.