• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.135-141
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• 2002

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation has been unsuccessful for monocot plants except for a few important crops such as barley, rice, maize and wheat. We discussed here that a successful transformation of monocots demands certain critical conditions. The requirements for an efficient transformation are a selection of target tissues competent for plant regeneration and Agrobacterium-infection, and various factors promoting Agrobacterium-infection. The factors were divided into two to activate Agrobacterium and to increase plant cell's susceptibility against Agrobacterium. Optimization of these factors significantly increased transformation efficiency of zoysia grass and rice plants. A technical improvement in transformation system for monocots will promote improvement of the breed as well as a study of gene functions in monocots.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.56-63
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• 2015

A small number of viable tuberculosis bacilli can reside in an individual with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) without obvious clinical symptoms or abnormal chest radiographs. Diagnosis and treatment for LTBI are important for tuberculosis (TB) control in public and private health, especially in high-risk populations. The updated 2014 Korean guidelines for TB recommend that tuberculin skin tests, interferon-gamma release assays, or a combination of the two can be used for LTBI diagnosis according to age and immune status of the host as well as TB contact history. The regimens for LTBI treatment include isoniazid, rifampicin, or isoniazid/rifampicin. However, results of drug susceptibility test from the index case must be considered in selecting the appropriate drug for recent contacts. Standardized LTBI diagnosis and treatment based on the new 2014 guidelines will contribute to the effective TB control in Korea as well as to the establishment of updated guidelines.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.642-647
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• 2022

Hemifacial microsomia (HFM) is a complex congenital condition with heterogeneous malformations of the facial skeleton that almost always involves mandibular hypoplasia. Here we introduce a unique case in which a patient with HFM had initially successful optimization of facial symmetry using a polyetheretherketone implant for mandibular augmentation. However, multiple factors associated with the intraoperative and postoperative course, including hardware failure and infection, led to diminished mechanical strength of the mandible, ultimately resulting in a mandibular fracture. In this unique case presentation of HFM, we discuss the various factors that contributed to mandibular weakness and increased susceptibility to fracture.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.147-156
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• 2022

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in different age groups, including children. Bacteria are the main etiological agents of UTIs. The aim of the present study was to isolate, identify, and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from children with UTIs from Baghdad, Iraq. Three hundred and two urine samples were collected from children aged 6 months to 12 years. The samples were cultured on blood agar and MacConkey agar. The selected colonies were subjected to biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility analysis using the Vitek^® 2 Compact automated microbial identification system. In this sample, 299 bacteria were identified, of which, 267 were gram-negative bacteria, and 32 were gram-positive bacteria. Escherichia coli (56%) was the most commonly isolated gram-negative bacteria, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14%), Enterobacter spp. (10.48%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.36%), Proteus spp. (7.8%), Acinetobacter baumannii (1.5%), and Morganella morganii (0.37%). Enterococcus faecalis (62.5%) was the most commonly detected gram-positive bacteria, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (37.5%). E. coli and P. aeruginosa were the most antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Among the tested antibiotics, meropenem showed 100% sensitivity, followed by imipenem (97.4%), amikacin (91.8%), and tobramycin (83.5%). In contrast, the high frequencies of resistance were observed with cefixime (93.2%), cefotaxime (78.7%), and ceftriaxone/cefotaxime (71.2%). In conclusion, carbapenems and aminoglycosides are highly recommended for the empirical treatment of UTIs, while, Quinolones, penicillins, and cephalosporins are not suggested. Frequent antibiotics susceptibility testing are warranted to determine the resistance pattern of UTI bacteria.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2019

Bud rot (BR) is the most devastating disease affecting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) crops in Colombia. Its causal agent, Phytophthora palmivora, initiates the infection in immature oil palm leaflets producing necrotic lesions, followed by colonization of opportunistic necrotrophs, which increases disease damage. To improve the characterization of the disease, we transformed P. palmivora using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) to include the fluorescent proteins CFP-SKL (peroxisomal localization), eGFP and mRFP1 (cytoplasmic localization). The stability of some transformants was confirmed by Southern blot analysis and single zoospore cultures; additionally, virulence and in vitro growth were compared to the wild-type isolate to select transformants with the greatest resemblance to the WT isolate. GFP-tagged P. palmivora was useful to identify all of the infective structures that are commonly formed by hemibiotrophic oomycetes, including apoplastic colonization and haustorium formation. Finally, we detected cell death responses associated with immature oil palm tissues that showed reduced susceptibility to P. palmivora infection, indicating that these tissues could exhibit age-related resistance. The aim of this research is to improve the characterization of the initial disease stages and generate cell biology tools that may be useful for developing methodologies for early identification of oil palm materials resistant or susceptible to BR.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1549-1555
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• 2010

Streptococcus suis is a worldwide pathogen of a variety of porcine infection and has also been described as a pathogen for humans. We studied biochemical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility, and identification of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of S. suis isolated from diseased pigs in Gyeongbuk province from 2004 to 2009. Sixty-one isolates were identified as S. suis by biochemical characteristics and PCR from 40 farms. The biochemical characteristics of S. suis isolates were production of VP-negative, hippurate, esculin, and arginine decarboxylase-positive, and fermentation of carbohydrate was variable lactose, trehalose, inulin, and raffinose, which was typeable 11 phenotype. In an antimicrobial susceptibility test, the majority of isolates were highly susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cephalothin, cefoperazone and florfenicol, while being highly resistant to streptomycin, kanamycin, amikacin, neomycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline. The isolates were divided into 11 phenotypes of biochemistry. By using PCR, the 16S-rRNA gene DNA fragment was detected at 304 bp from all of isolates. These results may provide the basic information needed to establish strategies for the prevention of S. suis infection in pigs.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.286-295
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• 2016

Cellular replicative senescence is a major contributing factor to aging and to the development and progression of aging-associated diseases. In this study, we sought to determine viral replication efficiency of influenza virus (IFV) and Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) infection in senescent cells. Primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE) or human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) were allowed to undergo numbers of passages to induce replicative senescence. Induction of replicative senescence in cells was validated by positive senescence-associated b-galactosidase staining. Increased susceptibility to both IFV and VZV infection was observed in senescent HBE and HDF cells, respectively, resulting in higher numbers of plaque formation, along with the upregulation of major viral antigen expression than that in the non-senescent cells. Interestingly, mRNA fold induction level of virus-induced type I interferon (IFN) was attenuated by senescence, whereas IFN-mediated antiviral effect remained robust and potent in virus-infected senescent cells. Additionally, we show that a longevity-promoting gene, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), has antiviral role against influenza virus infection. In conclusion, our data indicate that enhanced viral replication by cellular senescence could be due to senescence-mediated reduction of virus-induced type I IFN expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.96-100
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• 2001

Three commercial strains bred in the US (Hubbard), Holland (Lohman), and Canada (Shaver) and Balady breed of chickens were orally infected with $10^6$ cfu of Salmonella gallinarum per chick. Chicks were compared for weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality rate and contamination of the liver, spleen and intestine with Salmonella gallinarum on the day of slaughter. The Balady chicks had significantly the lowest mortality rate (p<0.01) and weight gain (p<0.001) and poorest feed conversion ratio (p<0.001). Salmonella gallinarum could be shed from the liver, spleen and intestine with alternative rates in all strains. Lohman was the most resistance over the other two commercial strains, while Hubbard had the highest susceptibility. The Balady chicks were the most resistance. However, they may serve as a possible reservoir of Salmonella gallinarum and it may play a role of spreading the infection to the commercial farms in Jordan.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.247-253
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• 2001

Three freshwater snail species of the family Lymnaeidae have been reported from Korea, Radix auricularia coreana, Austropeplea ollula and Fossaria truncatula. Out of 3 lymnaeid snail species, A. ollula was naturally infected with the Echinostoma cinetorchis cercariae (infection rate : 0.7%). In the experiments with the laboratory-bred snails, F. truncatula as well as A. ollula was also susceptible to the E. cinetorchis miracidia with infection rates of 25% and 40%, respectively. All of three lymnaeid snail species exposed to the E. cinetorchis cercariae were infected with the E. cinetorchis metacercariae. It is evident that A. ollula acts as the first molluscan intermediate host of E. cinetorchis in Korea, and F. truncatula may be a possible candidate for the first intermediate host of this intestinal fluke. Also, three lymnaeid snail species targeted were experimentally infected with E. cinetorchis metacercariae.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.293-299
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• 1997

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is a rare, hereditary disease occurring in males and was first described in 1937. It is characterized by cutaneous eczema, thrombocytopenic purpura and an increased susceptibility to infection due to an immunologic defect. Patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome have a poor antibody response to polysaccharide antigens, low levels of IgM and high levels of IgA and IgE in serum. Oral manifestations of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome was observed a spontaneous gingival bleeding, palatal petechiae, ulcer and gingival hyperplasia. We report on dental treatment of a 5 years old boy with severe spontaneous gingival bleeding and ulcer suffered from Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent infection and all potential measures including platelet concentrate therapy to prevent postoperative bleeding should be undertaken. Good oral hygiene should be maintained for prevention of infection by oral normal flora.