Tetragenococcus halophilus MJ4 as a starter culture for repressing biogenic amine (cadaverine) formation during saeu-jeot (salted shrimp) fermentation.

Biogenic amines (BAs) are frequently present in traditionally fermented salted foods. In this study, a Tetragenococcus halophilus strain (MJ4) with no BA-producing ability was isolated from a fish (anchovy) sauce. Strain MJ4 did not produce BAs from supplied precursors and no BA-producing genes were identified in its genome.

Direct effectiveness of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine against invasive pneumococcal disease and non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia in elderly population in the era of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: A case-control study.

Background: While herd effects and serotype replacement by childhood pneumococcal protein conjugated vaccines (PCVs) continues to accumulate worldwide, direct effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) against pneumococcal diseases in the elderly has been challenged. We estimated the direct effectiveness of PPV23 in the elderly population.

Methods: For a hospital-based case-control study, cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (NBPP) (adults ≥ 65 years) were identified in 14 hospitals participated in the pneumococcal surveillance program from March 2013 to October 2015, following implementation of PPV23 national immunization program (NIP) for the elderly in the Republic of Korea.

A family with a mild form of congenital nystagmus and optic disc coloboma caused by a novel PAX6 mutation.

Congenital nystagmus (CN) is a heterogeneous disease that shows variable clinical features. There are a few mutations that are known to cause CN. Among them, a PAX6 mutation is known to cause CN with an extremely high frequency of aniridia.

'Pneumonia Weather': Short-term Effects of Meteorological Factors on Emergency Room Visits Due to Pneumonia in Seoul, Korea.

Objectives: Many studies have explored the relationship between short-term weather and its health effects (including pneumonia) based on mortality, although both morbidity and mortality pose a substantial burden. In this study, the authors aimed to describe the influence of meteorological factors on the number of emergency room (ER) visits due to pneumonia in Seoul, Korea.

Methods: Daily records of ER visits for pneumonia over a 6-year period (2009-2014) were collected from the National Emergency Department Information System.

Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Pseuderanthemum palatiferum (Nees) Radlk. Using Subcritical Water and Conventional Solvents: A Comparison Study.

The present study investigated the recovery of antioxidative compounds obtained from Pseuderanthemum palatiferum (Nees) Radlk. and their biological activities using subcritical water in comparison with hot water, Soxhlet, and methanol extraction. In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and three commonly used assays, that is, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and ferric reducing antioxidant power, were employed to measure the number of valuable compounds and their antioxidant capacities, respectively.

Rhodophyticola porphyridii gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a red alga, Porphyridium marinum.

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic and moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain MA-7-27, was isolated from a marine red alga, Porphyridium marinum, in the Republic of Korea. The cells of strain MA-7-27 were non-motile rods showing oxidase- and catalase-positive activities. Growth of strain MA-7-27 was observed at 15-45 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.

Successful extracorporeal life support in respiratory failure after copper sulphate ingestion.

A 44-year-old woman intentionally ingested a solution of copper sulphate. She had minimal intravascular haemolysis and methemoglobinaemia but developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) 4 hours after acute copper sulphate poisoning. This required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management in the intensive care unit.

The impact of expanded brucellosis surveillance in beef cattle on human brucellosis in Korea: an interrupted time-series analysis.

Background: Korean surveillance program for bovine brucellosis was improved by extending it to beef slaughterhouses and by pre-movement testing of bulls on May 2005 (Intervention 1). The bovine brucellosis surveillance program was further extended to beef cattle farms with more than 10 heads of cattle on June 2006 (Intervention 2).

Methods: To quantify the temporal relationship between bovine and human brucellosis, a time-series analysis was conducted using Korean national notification data reported between January 2004 and December 2014.

Health Indicators Related to Disease, Death, and Reproduction.

One of the primary goals of epidemiology is to quantify various aspects of a population's health, illness, and death status and the determinants (or risk factors) thereof by calculating health indicators that measure the magnitudes of various conditions. There has been some confusion regarding health indicators, with discrepancies in usage among organizations such as the World Health Organization the, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the CDC of other countries, and the usage of the relevant terminology may vary across papers. Therefore, in this review, we would like to propose appropriate terminological definitions for health indicators based on the most commonly used meanings and/or the terms used by official agencies, in order to bring clarity to this area of confusion.

Surface third and fifth harmonic generation at crystalline Si for non-invasive inspection of Si wafer's inter-layer defects.

Detection of inter-layer and internal defects in semiconductor silicon (Si) wafers by non-contact, non-destructive and depth-resolving techniques with a high lateral and depth resolution is one of the challenging tasks in modern semiconductor industry. In this paper, we report that nonlinear optical harmonic generation can be of great virtue therein because it enables non-invasive inspection of inter-layer defects with sub-micrometer depth resolution in extensive penetration depth over several millimeters. Compared to existing inspection methods for inter-layer defects, such as ultrasound, photoacoustic and photothermal imaging, the proposed technique provides higher lateral and depth resolution as well as higher interfacial selectivity.

Diagnostic Value of Parameters Related to White Blood Cell Counts for Troponin I Elevation in CO Poisoning.

To assess myocardial injury related to acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, serial troponin I is measured in patients not presenting with troponin I elevation. This retrospective study investigated whether parameters related to white blood cell (WBC) counts (total and differential WBC counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio) improved predictive accuracy for troponin I elevation (> 0.04 ng/ml) in patients not presenting with evidence of myocardial injury.

Photo-enhanced gas sensing of SnS with nanoscale defects.

Recently a SnS based NO gas sensor with a 30 ppb detection limit was demonstrated but this required high operation temperatures. Concurrently, SnS grown by chemical vapor deposition is known to naturally contain nanoscale defects, which could be exploited. Here, we significantly enhance the performance of a NO gas sensor based on SnS with nanoscale defects by photon illumination, and a detection limit of 2.

Characteristics of Emergency Department Presentations of Pediatric Poisoning Between 2011 and 2016: A Retrospective Observational Study in South Korea.

Objectives: Pediatric poisoning represents a major preventable cause of morbidity. The epidemiology of pediatric poisoning differs by country and region. This study aimed to characterize pediatric poisoning in South Korea over the last 6 years and to discuss current regulations related to the causative agents involved in pediatric poisoning.

The impact of hyperthermia after acute carbon monoxide poisoning on neurological sequelae.

This study investigated whether hyperthermia within the first 24 h after presentation was associated with long-term neurological outcomes after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. This retrospective study included 200 patients with acute severe CO poisoning. Hyperthermia (≥ 37.

Simulation of P2X-mediated calcium signalling in microglia.

Key Points: A computational model of P2X channel activation in microglia was developed that includes downfield Ca -dependent signalling pathways. This model provides quantitative insights into how diverse signalling pathways in microglia converge to control microglial function.

Abstract: Microglia function is orchestrated through highly coupled signalling pathways that depend on calcium (Ca ).

The predictive value of scores based on peripheral complete blood cell count for long-term neurological outcome in acute carbon monoxide intoxication.

Growing evidence indicates that inflammation is associated with neurological sequelae after CO poisoning. Several scores incorporating the peripheral complete blood cell (CBC) count have been introduced as indicators of systemic inflammation. This study investigated whether these scores can improve the predictive accuracy for long-term neurological outcome of acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Optimization of polysaccharides extraction from Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) using subcritical water: Structural characterization and biological activities.

Bioactive polysaccharide was extracted from Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas using subcritical water (SW) and the extraction process was optimize by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum condition was found to be temperature 125.01 °C, extraction time 14.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG-associated optic neuritis.

Purpose Of Review: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-IgG-associated optic neuritis has been established as a new entity of optic neuropathy. We will review recent advances in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and clinical manifestations of MOG-IgG-associated optic neuritis to better understand its distinctive characteristics.

Recent Findings: MOG is expressed on the surface of myelin sheaths and oligodendrocytes.

Astaxanthin-alpha tocopherol nanoemulsion formulation by emulsification methods: Investigation on anticancer, wound healing, and antibacterial effects.

Emulsion-based delivery systems have been fabricated and developed to increase the bioavailability of astaxanthin and alpha-tocopherol as active compounds for various biomedical applications. Astaxanthin-alpha tocopherol nanoemulsion (ATNE) is well known for its potential 6.-6.

Genomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of Weissella koreensis reveal its metabolic and fermentative features during kimchi fermentation.

The genomic and metabolic features of Weissella koreensis, one of the major lactic acid bacteria in kimchi, were investigated through genomic, metabolic, and transcriptomic analyses for the genomes of strains KCTC 3621, KACC 15510, and WiKim0080. W. koreensis strains were intrinsically vancomycin-resistant and harbored potential hemolysin genes that were actively transcribed although no hemolysin activity was detected.