Characteristics of Norovirus Food Poisoning Outbreaks in Korea in the 2000s.

Abstract: Norovirus food poisoning outbreaks in Korea (South) appeared in the 2000s and have been increasing since then. We aimed to investigate the epidemiological features of norovirus food poisoning outbreaks in Korea from 2002 to 2017, on the basis of official food poisoning statistics and publically reliable reports, and to find any associations with climate factors. Norovirus was the most common cause of food poisoning among known causative substances in Korea during the study period.

Detection of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate (DMMP) Using Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS).

The detection and monitoring of colorless and odorless chemical warfare agents (CWAs) has become important due to the increasing threat of terrorist activities. To enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of CWAs a number of sensing materials have been developed, including the widely used polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). However, PVDF is limited by its low sensitivity and selectivity for many CWAs.

Structural and Morphological Evolution for Water-resistant Organic Thermoelectrics.

We systematically investigated the effect of 2,5-bis(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)-1,4:3,6-dianhydro-sorbitol (Iso-GMA) with different concentrations on the structural and morphological evolution of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) containing a fixed volume of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to realize water-resistant organic thermoelectric devices. As an additive, Iso-GMA is a hydrophilic and crosslinking agent that can interact with PEDOT and PSS chains by hydrogen bonding and/or dipole-dipole- or dipole-charge-interaction. The Seebeck coefficient and power factor in the film incorporating 3.

A New Sling Technique in Cervical Radiculopathy Caused by Vertebral Artery Loop Compression.

Background: A 52-year-old woman had a 20-month history of progressive radiating pain in the left arm and numbness on C7 dermatome.

Case Description: On physical examination, left head rotation aggravated the radiculopathic pain. For an anatomic diagnosis of the vertebral artery and nerve root, magnetic resonance angiography was performed (computed tomography angiography was not possible because of her dye allergy history).

Comparison of the Multidetector-row Computed Tomographic Angiography Axial and Coronal Planes' Usefulness for Detecting Thoracodorsal Artery Perforators.

Background: During the planning of a thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) free flap, preoperative multidetector-row computed tomographic (MDCT) angiography is valuable for predicting the locations of perforators. However, CT-based perforator mapping of the thoracodorsal artery is not easy because of its small diameter. Thus, we evaluated 1-mm-thick MDCT images in multiple planes to search for reliable perforators accurately.

Absorbable plate as a perpendicular strut for acute saddle nose deformities.

Background: Nasal pyramid fractures accompanied by saddle nose deformities are not easily corrected by closed reduction. We used an absorbable plate as a perpendicular strut to support the collapsed "keystone area" and obtained good results.

Methods: Between September 2008 and June 2011, 18 patients who had nasal pyramid fractures with saddle nose deformities underwent surgery.

A facile and simple method for the preparation of copoly(TEAMPS/VP)/silver nanocomposites for the humidity-sensing membranes.

We developed a simple method for the preparation of polyelectrolyte/silver nanocomposites, where silver nanoparticles were dispersed in a polyelectrolyte. Copoly(TEAMPS/VP)/silver (w/w=100/0, 100/1, 100/2, 100/3 and 100/4) nanocomposites were obtained by a thermal decomposition reaction of silver carbamate complex at 130 degrees C, and well-dispersed silver colloids were stabilized by copolymer of tetraethylammonium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonate (TEAMPS) and N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP). A dark brown solution in its UV-vis absorption spectrum showed surface plasmon resonance absorption bands at 420 nm in solution.

Balloon sheaths for gastrointestinal guidance and access: a preliminary phantom study.

Objective: We wanted to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of a newly designed balloon sheath for gastrointestinal guidance and access by conducting a phantom study.

Materials And Methods: The newly designed balloon sheath consisted of an introducer sheath and a supporting balloon. A coil catheter was advanced over a guide wire into two gastroduodenal phantoms (one was with stricture and one was without stricture); group I was without a balloon sheath, group ll was with a deflated balloon sheath, and groups III and IV were with an inflated balloon and with the balloon in the fundus and body, respectively.

Antigenotoxic effects of water extract from Korean fermented soybean paste (doen-jang).

Aflatoxin B1 is a major metabolite of the toxigenic molds Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. In this study, a bacterial reverse mutation assay with Salmonella Typhimurium strains TA1535, TA1537, TA98, TA100, and TA102 and an in vitro chromosome aberration test with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells were used to investigate the genotoxicity of water extract from Korean soybean paste (doen-jang [dwen-jahng]) and its antigenotoxic activity against aflatoxin B1. The water extract itself did not exhibit cytotoxicity or mutagenicity.

Reduction of aflatoxins by Korean soybean paste and its effect on cytotoxicity and reproductive toxicity--Part 3. Inhibitory effects of Korean soybean paste (doen-jang) on aflatoxin toxicity in laying hens and aflatoxin accumulation in their eggs.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of Korean soybean paste (doen-jang [dwen-jahng]) (at concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 5%) on the toxicity of 500 ppb of aflatoxin in the diets of 60 laying hens (Isa Brown) divided into five groups and treated from week 15 to week 67. The aflatoxin-treated hens exhibited many deleterious effects, including reduced body weight; increased relative organ weights; decreased egg production; aflatoxin accumulation in eggs; decreased serum calcium, phosphorus, and alanino amonotransferase (ALT) levels; increased serum gammaglutamil transferase and lactic dehydrogenase levels; and, most significantly, severely altered cell foci and sinusoid dilatation in the liver, relative to control hens.

Reduction of aflatoxins by Korean soybean paste and its effect on cytotoxicity and reproductive toxicity--part 2. Antigenotoxic effects of the methanol extract of Korean soybean paste (doen-jang) on aflatoxin B1-induced bacterial reverse mutation and chromosome aberration.

A bacterial reverse-mutation assay with Salmonella Typhimurium TA1535, TA1537, TA98, TA100, and TA102 and an in vitro chromosome aberration assay with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells were used to investigate the genotoxicity of the methanol extract of Korean soybean paste (doen-jang [dwen-jahng]) and its antigenotoxic activity against aflatoxin B1. The methanol extract revealed nonmutagenic potential for all of the bacterial strains tested. The extract significantly reduced the numbers of revertants per plate when it was added to the assay system with Salmonella Typhimurium TA100 (P < 0.

Grain Development and Aflatoxin B Accumulation in Preharvest Rice Inoculated with Aspergillus parasiticus.

A rice cultivar (Japonica type), Cheong-cheong , was planted in a rice paddy in Southern Korea to examine the effects of Aspergillus parasiticus infection on the development of the grains. The grain was inoculated with the fungal inoculum at the milk stage of development. Ripening rates, 100-grain weights and aflatoxin B accumulation were observed at harvest.