Feasibility of fast, four-dimensional computed tomography-based O-ring LINAC plans for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy in patients with poor performance status.

Purpose: We aimed to retrospectively analyzed the feasibility of fast four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT)-based O-ring LINAC treatment for patients with an average respiratory amplitude was< 0.5 cm and who cannot endure long treatment times due to poor performance status in lung 4D-stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Methods: This study included data of 38 patients who received lung 4D-SBRT and had average respiratory amplitude< 0.

Seasonal Changes in the Microbial Communities on Lettuce ( L.) in Chungcheong-do, South Korea.

Lettuce is one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide. However, it has potential risks associated with pathogenic bacterial contamination because it is usually consumed raw. In this study, we investigated the changes in the bacterial community on lettuce ( L.

Comparison of DNA Extraction Methods for the Quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in Dairy Products by Real-Time Quantitative PCR>.

Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a common foodborne pathogen affecting public health. Thus, detecting L. monocytogenes, even at low levels, in food matrices is essential.

Comparison of enrichment methods for isolating Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli in kimchi.

This study was conducted to compare the efficiency of four enrichment methods of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli by using the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and a predictive model. Four different methods (US FDA, ISO, Japan Food Hygiene Association and Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) were used to enrich EHEC in kimchi inoculated with cocktails of EHEC strains (NCCP 13720, NCCP 13721, and NCCP 14134). The maximum growth rate (μ) and lag phase duration (LPD) were compared using the Baranyi model, and 16S rRNA targeted sequencing was performed with samples at the end of the exponential phase.

Efficient use of immunosuppressants for kidney transplants.

A recent development of immunosuppressive protocols (or simply, suppressants) offers a new option to patients suffering from end-stage renal disease: transplants from biologically incompatible donors. Suppressants are currently being used for direct transplants within patient-donor pairs, but they can be utilized more efficiently when combined with kidney exchanges. To assess the welfare gains from doing so, we introduce the "minimum chains algorithms" for different sizes of feasible exchanges.

Evaluation of Hygiene Indicators and Sampling Plan for Detecting Microbial Contamination in Health Functional Foods.

Abstract: This study aimed to monitor microbial contamination levels in a variety of health functional foods and to establish new microbial criteria. Indicator organisms (i.e.

Development and validation of a predictive model for pathogenic in fresh-cut produce.

This study was performed to develop and validate a predictive growth model of pathogenic to ensure the safety of fresh-cut produce. Samples were inoculated with a cocktail of seven strains of five pathotypes (EHEC, Enterohemorrhagic ; ETEC, Enterotoxigenic ; EPEC, Enteropathogenic ; EIEC, Enteroinvasive and EAEC, Enteroaggregative ) and stored at 4, 10, 12, 15, 25, 30, and 37°C. Growth of pathogenic was observed above 12°C.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of pathogenic in commercial kimchi in South Korea.

Owing to convenience, ease of preparation, and price, the consumption of commercial kimchi is gradually rising in South Korea. Here, we estimated the risk level posed by pathogenic in commercial kimchi products using the quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) approach to develop measures for preventing potential foodborne outbreaks from kimchi consumption. We collected 610 samples of commercial kimchi products produced in Korea, 267 kimchi samples from foreign countries imported to Korea, and 187 raw materials used in kimchi preparation, and analyzed them for contamination with pathogenic .

Dosimetric comparison of VitalBeam and Halcyon 2.0 for hypofractionated VMAT with simultaneous integrated boost treatment of early-stage left-sided breast cancer.

Purpose: This study compared the quality of treatment plans for early-stage, left-sided breast cancer, as planned for and delivered by the Halcyon and VitalBeam .

Materials And Methods: Fifteen patients diagnosed with early-stage left-sided breast cancer, who had received VMAT with hypofractionated SIB, were recruited. All cases were planned using Halcyon comprising a dual-layer MLC (DL-MLC) and VitalBeam with a Millennium 120 MLC (VB-MLC).

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Characteristics of Shiga Toxin-Producing Isolates from Pork in Korea.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) strains are important food-borne pathogens that can be transmitted through the consumption of food products derived from pigs. Moreover, antimicrobial resistance in STEC has been a matter of increasing concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial characteristics of STEC isolates from pork in Korea.

Development and Validation of Predictive Model for Growth in Unpasteurized Liquid Eggs.

Liquid egg products can be contaminated with spp. during processing. A predictive model for the growth of spp.

Genotypic characterization of ESBL-producing E. coli from imported meat in South Korea.

Twenty extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli strains were isolated from imported meat in South Korea. ESBL strains of E.

Distribution and Molecular Characterization of Campylobacter Species at Different Processing Stages in Two Poultry Processing Plants.

The present study analyzed the prevalence and molecular characterization of Campylobacter at different processing steps in poultry slaughterhouses to determine where contamination mainly occurs. A total of 1,040 samples were collected at four different stages (preprocessing cloacal swabs, postevisceration, postwashing, and postchilling) in two processing plants. Campylobacter was detected in 5.

Prevalence Analysis and Molecular Characterization of Salmonella at Different Processing Steps in Broiler Slaughter Plants in South Korea.

In this study, changes in the prevalence of Salmonella during the processing of broiler chicken carcasses were investigated. A total of 1040 fecal swabs and chicken carcasses samples were collected from 2 processing plants at the 4 stages of broiler processing, which included live birds in slaughter line, postevisceration/prewashing, postwashing/prechilling, and postchilling, respectively. The intraspecific biodiversity of the Salmonella isolates was determined using a DiversiLab automated repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) system.

Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Potentials of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Raw Meats of Slaughterhouses and Retail Markets in Korea.

In this study, the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) was investigated among raw meat or meat products from slaughterhouses and retail markets in South Korea, and their potential for antibiotic resistance and virulence was further analyzed. A total of 912 raw meats, including beef, pork, and chicken, were collected from 2008 to 2009. E.

Molecular Characterization, Antibiotic Resistance, and Virulence Factors of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Imported and Domestic Meat in Korea.

During a nationwide surveillance in Korea, 13 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were isolated from imported and domestic meat between 2009 and 2011. The predominant MRSA genotype was SCCmec type V, and only two agr types (I and II) were found. Unexpectedly, sequence type ST72 comprised more than 50% of the isolates; this is the first instance of type ST72 in food from Canada.

Traceback investigation for Salmonella contamination at egg processing plants in South Korea: prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and epidemiological tracing by rep-PCR fingerprinting.

We conducted a survey of Salmonella from 8 egg-breaking plants and a farm to determine the prevalence and the source of the bacteria. The contents of 2400 shell eggs (20 eggs per pool), 75 pasteurized liquid egg products, and 120 unpasteurized liquid egg products from 8 egg-breaking plants in South Korea were examined. In liquid egg samples, 4 Salmonella-positive samples from 120 unpasteurized ones (3.

Rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes by real-time PCR in processed meat and dairy products.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in different ready-to-eat foods using real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Various concentrations (10(0) to 10(5) CFU/ml) of L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 were inoculated into ham, sausage, ground meat, processed milk, cheese, and infant formula.

Comparison of the Microsatellite and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Methods for Discriminating among Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle), Imported, and Crossbred Beef in Korea.

The identity of 45 Hanwo and 47 imported beef (non-Hanwoo) samples from USA and Australia were verified using the microsatellite (MS) marker and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) methods. Samples were collected from 19 supermarkets located in the city of Seoul and Gyeonggi province, South Korea, from 2009 to 2011. As a result, we obtained a 100% concordance rate between the MS and SNP methods for identifying Hanwoo and non-Hanwoo beef.

In vitro activities of antimicrobials against Brucella abortus isolates from cattle in Korea during 1998-2006.

In vitro activities of 13 antibiotics were assessed against 85 Brucella abortus isolates from naturally infected cattle in the Republic of Korea during 1998-2006, using broth microdilution test. Tetracyclines showed the most excellent activity against B. abortus, displaying MIC values of 0.

Genetic comparison of Brucella canis isolates by the MLVA assay in South Korea.

The multiple-locus VNTR analysis (MLVA) assay is a method frequently employed as a molecular epidemiological tool for Brucella genetic fingerprinting. The purpose of this study was to assess the genotyping of 77 B. canis isolates from 14 different dog breeding farms in Korea by the MLVA assay and to compare the epidemiological relationships between the Korean isolates and foreign ones.

Development of a blocking ELISA using a recombinant glycoprotein for the detection of antibodies to vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus.

A recombinant glycoprotein (R-GP) of vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSV-NJ) was expressed in insect cells by a baculovirus system. Its utility as a diagnostic antigen in a blocking ELISA was investigated as an alternative to the current native GP extracted from VSV-NJ. With the cut-off value of 73% inhibition, the R-GP ELISA exhibited 99.

Use of a baculovirus-expressed structural protein for the detection of antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus type A by a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

A blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a baculovirus-expressed structural protein was developed for the detection of antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus type A. It exhibited 99% specificity with a cutoff of 53% inhibition. Its sensitivity was comparable to the sensitivities of the virus neutralization test and the liquid-phase blocking ELISA, indicating its potential as an alternative assay.

Molecular typing for epidemiological evaluation of Brucella abortus and Brucella canis isolated in Korea.

To investigate genotype relationships among regional groups of Brucella isolates, variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis was conducted according to previously reported methods. Field strains of Brucella abortus and Brucella canis were isolated from 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea during the years 1996-2006 and each of the isolates was classified by eight loci of HOOF-Prints. On the basis of the alleles, the 33 B.

A recombinant protein-based ELISA for detecting antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype Asia 1.

A recombinant protein-based ELISA was evaluated for detecting antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype Asia 1. The recombinant protein (rP13C) was derived from the P1 precursor and 3C protease genes that were cloned into a single expression vector and expressed in insect cells. This protein elicited a low titer of FMDV neutralizing antibodies in pigs.