Analyzing Korean Public Health Centers' Infectious Disease Disaster Response Experiences with a Focus on Business Continuity.

Objective: This study aims to provide basic data for establishing strategies to maintain the core functions of health centers, and enable an effective response to emergency tasks in the event of future infectious disease disasters.

Methods: The participants were 41 workers from two public health centers in Seoul. They all had prior experience in responding to the early and middle stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Vancomycin Variable Isolated From Clinical Specimens.

Vancomycin variable (VVE) bacteria are phenotypically susceptible to vancomycin, but they harbor the gene. We aimed to ascertain the prevalence of VVE among clinically isolated vancomycin-susceptible (VSE) isolates, as well as elucidate the molecular characteristics of the gene cluster within these isolates. Notably, we investigated the prevalence and structure of the gene cluster of VVE.

Evaluation of the BioFire Gastrointestinal Panel to Detect Diarrheal Pathogens in Pediatric Patients.

Infectious diarrhea is a global pediatric health concern; therefore, rapid and accurate detection of enteropathogens is vital. We evaluated the BioFire FilmArray Gastrointestinal (GI) Panel with that of comparator laboratory tests. Stool samples of pediatric patients with diarrhea were prospectively collected and tested.

[Topic Modeling and Keyword Network Analysis of News Articles Related to Nurses before and after "the Thanks to You Challenge" during the COVID-19 Pandemic].

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess public awareness and policy challenges faced by practicing nurses.

Methods: After collecting nurse-related news articles published before and after 'the Thanks to You Challenge' campaign (between December 31, 2019, and July 15, 2020), keywords were extracted via preprocessing. A three-step method keyword analysis, latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, and keyword network analysis was used to examine the text and the structure of the selected news articles.

Predominance and clonal spread of CTX-M-15 in cefotaxime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Korea and their association with plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants.

Introduction: β-lactams and fluoroquinolones are extensively used worldwide in the treatment of infections caused by Enterobacterales. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL), their correlation with plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants (PMQR) and clonal distribution among the cefotaxime-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates.

Performance evaluation of automated BD Phoenix NMIC-500 panel for carbapenemase detection in carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacterales.

Rapid detection of carbapenemases and accurate reporting of carbapenem MICs is critical for appropriate treatment and infection control. We evaluated the BD Phoenix NMIC-500 panel for detection and classification of carbapenemases and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for carbapenems. A total of 235 isolates were tested; 47 carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, 52 non-carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (non-CP-CRE), 136 carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacterales (CSE).

Microbial assessment of medicinal herbs (Cnidii Rhizoma and Alismatis Rhizoma), effects of electron beam irradiation and detection characteristics.

Medicinal herbs comprise of heavy microbial contaminations. This study aimed to assess microbial hazards including foodborne pathogens in 20 commercial medicinal herbs, Cnidii Rhizoma (C1-C10) and Alismatis Rhizoma (T1-T10) as well as to evaluate irradiation effects of E-beam on microbial load and detection chracteristics. Four samples (C5, C10, T1, T8) from both herbs with higher microbial load were selected for evaluating the irradiation effect of E-beam (up to 10 kGy) on microbial load and radiation-induced changes in detection markers by standard methods (Codex, Korean Food Code), such as direct epifluorescent filter technique/aerobic plate count (DEFT/APC), photostimulated luminescence (PSL), thermoluminescence (TL), and electron spin resonance (ESR).

Development of carbapenem-based fluorogenic probes for the clinical screening of carbapenemase-producing bacteria.

This report describes the synthesis of a library of fluorogenic carbapenemase substrates consisting of carbapenem derivatives, fluorescence dyes, and active cleavable linkers and their evaluation for specifically detecting carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs). We synthesized a series of compounds having three different types of linkers such as benzyl ether, carbamate, and amine using hydroxymethyl carbapenem 7a and hydroxyallyl carbapenem 7b as key intermediates. Probe 1b exhibited high stability and a prompt turn-on fluorescence signal upon hydrolysis by carbapenemases.

Performance of a Novel Fluorogenic Assay for Detection of Carbapenemase-Producing from Bacterial Colonies and Directly from Positive Blood Cultures.

Rapid and accurate detection of carbapenemase-producing (CPE) is critical for appropriate treatment and infection control. We compared a rapid fluorogenic assay using a carbapenem-based fluorogenic probe with other phenotypic assays: modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM), Carba NP test (CNP), and carbapenemase inhibition test (CIT). A total of 217 characterized isolates of were included as follows: 63 CPE; 48 non-carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant (non-CP-CRE); 53 extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers; and 53 third-generation-cephalosporin-susceptible isolates.

Effect of E-Beam Irradiation on Microbial Load, Stability of Active Components, and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cnidii Rhizoma and Alismatis Rhizoma.

To reduce microbial loads in medicinal herbs, Cnidii Rhizoma and Alismatis Rhizoma were subjected to electron-beam (e-beam) irradiation at doses (≤10 kGy) as permitted by the Korean Food Code. The effects of e-beam irradiation on the microbial load, stability of the active components, and anti-inflammatory activity of medicinal herbs were determined. We observed that the total aerobic bacteria (TAB; 4.

Clinical characteristics and rhythm outcome of catheter ablation of hemodynamically corrected valvular atrial fibrillation.

Background: Although the hemodynamic burden and structural substrate contribute to valvular atrial fibrillation (VAF) mechanisms, the role of catheter ablation has rarely been reported. We investigated the clinical characteristics, mapping findings, and long-term rhythm outcomes after catheter ablation of hemodynamically corrected VAF.

Methods: We compared 77 patients with VAF (46.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in South Korea: a report from the National Laboratory Surveillance System.

Aim: To assess the epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in South Korea.

Materials & Methods: From 2011 to 2015, 2487 carbapenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacteriaceae were collected through the Korean National Laboratory Surveillance System. Disk-diffusion for antimicrobial susceptibility, PCR/sequencing to detect carbapenemase genes and multilocus sequence typing for molecular epidemiology were carried out.

Carbapenemase Producers in South Korea between 2013 and 2015.

Between 2014 and 2015, the carbapenemase (KPC) was becoming endemic in South Korea. To assess this period of transition, we analyzed KPC producers in terms of molecular epidemiology. A total of 362 KPC-producing strains, including one from 2013, 13 from 2014, and 348 from 2015, were actively collected from 60 hospitals throughout the peninsula.

A stepwise approach to conduit puncture for electrophysiological procedures in patients with Fontan circulation.

Aims: In patients with Fontan circulation, the conduit may be punctured for electrophysiological procedures. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of a stepwise approach to conduit puncture in adults who have undergone Fontan operation.

Methods And Results: We included 13 consecutive patients with lateral tunnel or extracardiac conduit Fontan circulation [median age (interquartile range), 24.

Massilia varians Isolated from a Clinical Specimen.

We report a case of Massilia varians isolated from a deep finger wound following orthopedic surgery on an immunocompetent patient. The bacterium was identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. This is the first case of M.

Outbreak of KPC-2-producing Enterobacteriaceae caused by clonal dissemination of Klebsiella pneumoniae ST307 carrying an IncX3-type plasmid harboring a truncated Tn4401a.

Over a 5-month period between the end of June and the beginning of November in 2015, a KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae outbreak occurred in a general hospital in Busan, South Korea, being associated with a total of 50 clinical isolates from 47 patients. Multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis were carried out for strain typing and whole-genome sequencing was performed to characterize the plasmids. A clonal spread of K.

In vitro antimicrobial synergy of colistin with rifampicin and carbapenems against colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates.

Increased use of colistin in a clinical setting had resulted in the emergence of colistin-resistant (CoR) Acinetobacter baumannii. Combination therapy has been studied as a new approach to treat infections caused by A. baumannii.

New Quality Control Algorithm Based on GNSS Sensing Data for a Bridge Health Monitoring System.

This research introduces an improvement plan for the reliability of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning solutions. It should be considered the most suitable methodology in terms of the adjustment and positioning of GNSS in order to maximize the utilization of GNSS applications. Though various studies have been conducted with regards to Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) based on GNSS, the outliers which depend on the signal reception environment could not be considered until now.

Identification of Acinetobacter Species Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii has a greater clinical impact and exhibits higher antimicrobial resistance rates than the non-baumannii Acinetobacter species. Therefore, the correct identification of Acinetobacter species is clinically important. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) has recently become the method of choice for identifying bacterial species.