Comparative Analysis of Clinical Outcomes Using Propensity Score Matching: Coronavirus Disease 2019 vs. Seasonal Influenza in Korea.

Background: The advent of the omicron variant and the formulation of diverse therapeutic strategies marked a new epoch in the realm of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Studies have compared the clinical outcomes between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, but such studies were conducted during the early stages of the pandemic when effective treatment strategies had not yet been developed, which limits the generalizability of the findings. Therefore, an updated evaluation of the comparative analysis of clinical outcomes between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza is requisite.

Impact of Nonpharmacological Interventions on Severe Acute Respiratory Infections in Children: From the National Surveillance Database.

Background: Nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs) reduce the incidence of respiratory infections. After NPIs imposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic ceased, respiratory infections gradually increased worldwide. However, few studies have been conducted on severe respiratory infections requiring hospitalization in pediatric patients.

Characteristics of recent HIV infection among individuals newly diagnosed as HIV-positive in South Korea (2008-2015).

Most HIV-positive individuals diagnosed in Korea are infected through sexual contact, with the time of HIV infection therefore often being unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of diagnosed patients near the time of HIV seroconversion to establish useful HIV intervention strategies. Cross-sectional study.

Author Correction: Characteristics of Adolescents and Young adults with HIV in the Republic of Korea from 2010 through 2015.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Characteristics of Adolescents and Young adults with HIV in the Republic of Korea from 2010 through 2015.

Although the number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV is decreasing worldwide, those in Korea have been steadily on the rise, especially among adolescents (ages 10-19 years) and young adults (ages 20-29 years). To identify the characteristics in the new diagnosis among these age groups, we analyzed HIV testing sizes and HIV prevalence under the national HIV surveillance system in Korea in the last six years. We collected data of HIV tests conducted at Blood Banks (BB), Public Health Centers (PHCs), and Military Manpower Administration (MMA) nationwide every year from 2010 to 2015, except for anonymous tests.

Prevalence of Major Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones in Korea Between 2001 and 2008.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are important pathogens causing nosocomial infections in Korean hospitals. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and genetic diversity of clinical S. aureus isolates in healthcare settings from 2001 to 2008.

Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae KP617, Coproducing OXA-232 and NDM-1 Carbapenemases, Isolated in South Korea.

The prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae coproducing carbapenemase metallo-β-lactamase 1 (NDM-1) and OXA-48 has been increasing globally since 2013. The complete genome of KP617 was sequenced and assembled into a circular chromosome and two plasmids. This sequence provides the genetic background for understanding the evolution of carbapenemase genes in K.

Investigation of Biofilm Formation and its Association with the Molecular and Clinical Characteristics of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Objectives: To investigate the biofilm-forming related factors against MRSA bloodstream isolates and evaluates their clinical features and treatment outcomes by biofilm production.

Methods: We collected 126 consecutive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing blood stream infections (BSIs) at 10 tertiary hospitals from 2007 to 2009. We investigated biofilm-forming ability using a microtiter plate assay, and molecular characteristics including multilocus sequence typing, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec and accessory gene regulator types.

Comparison of genetic epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from humans and poultry.

This study was conducted to investigate the molecular characteristics and genetic relatedness of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) isolates obtained from humans and poultry in Korea. A total of 147 VREF isolates from humans (71 clinical isolates) and poultry (76 isolates) in Korea were compared with respect to their antibiotic susceptibilities, organization of the Tn1546 transposon element, detection of virulence genes (esp and hyl), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). All of the human and poultry isolates had the vanA gene and 11.

Composition and crystalline properties of TiNi thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition under vacuum and in ambient Ar gas.

TiNi shape memory alloy thin films were deposited using the pulsed laser deposition under vacuum and in an ambient Ar gas. Our main purpose is to investigate the influences of ambient Ar gas on the composition and the crystallization temperature of TiNi thin films. The deposited films were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, a surface profiler, and X-ray diffraction at room temperature.

Study of nanoscale photopolymerized fullerene clusters in solution droplets using an ultrasonic nebulizer unit.

In a designed and developed ultrasonic nebulizer system for obtaining macroscopic-quantity photopolymerized fullerene (C60) clusters, a C60 solution was vaporized to several micro-sized droplets in vacuum, resulting in the formation of C60 aggregates by evaporating the solvent (toluene). The system was invented to produce nanoscale photopolymerized carbon clusters through the irradiation of ultraviolet (UV) light on the C60 aggregates in vacuum. The products, photopolymerized C60 clusters obtained from the system using UV-visible (UV-Vis) absorption and high-performance (or high-pressure) liquid chromatography (HPLC) spectra, were characterized.

Hydrophobic properties of polytetrafluoroethylene thin films fabricated at various catalyzer temperatures through catalytic chemical vapor deposition using a tungsten catalyzer.

Using the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) method, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thin films were fabricated on Si(100) substrates at various catalyzer temperatures, using a tungsten catalyzer, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) were used to confirm the fabrication of the films. An atomic-force microscope (AFM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were employed to study the correlation between the wettability and surface morphology of the samples. It was found that the wettability of the PTFE thin films fabricated via Cat-CVD is strongly correlated with the sizes of the film surfaces' nanoprotrusions, and that superhydrophobic PTFE thin-film surfaces can be easily achieved by controlling the sizes of the nanoprotrusions through the catalyzer temperature.

In vitro biofilm formation and bactericidal activities of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones prevalent in Korea.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the biofilm formations of various methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clones (ST1, ST5, ST72, ST89, ST239, and ST254) and to evaluate the in vitro activities of antibiotics. Of 86 MRSA isolates tested, 44 isolates (51.2 %) formed biofilms, including 8 strong biofilm producers (7 isolates of ST72 and 1 isolate of ST89).

Prevalence and clinical implications of Staphylococcus aureus with a vancomycin MIC of 4 microg/ml in Korea.

In addition to vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA), S. aureus with a vancomycin MIC of 4 microg/ml has been reported to be the cause of therapeutic failure. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S.

Clonal dissemination and mupA gene polymorphism of mupirocin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from long-term-care facilities in South Korea.

We identified 25 high-level mupirocin-resistant (MuH) and 21 low-level mupirocin-resistant (MuL) Staphylococcus aureus isolates from eight long-term-care facilities (LTCFs). The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of 19 MuH and 19 MuL isolates from two facilities were identical for 18 and 15 isolates, respectively. The most predominant mupA restriction fragment length polymorphism type was found in 21 MuH isolates.