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Non-gonococcal sexually transmitted infections (STIs) include chlamydia, syphilis, and chancroids. Chlamydia is the most common STI caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse or vertical transmission at birth. Although symptoms are mostly absent or mild, untreated chlamydial infections in females can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility due to the narrowing of fallopian tubes. Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum and is divided into phase I, phase II, latent syphilis, and phase III. The incidence of syphilis, including congenital syphilis, has significantly increased in the United States in recent years. The chronic status of this disease can significantly increase morbidity and potentially affect almost all body organs, which, in rare cases, can lead to death. Additionally, untreated maternal syphilis can lead to fetal death and fatal congenital infections in newborns. Chancroid is an STI caused by Haemophilus ducreyi, and its prevalence is gradually decreasing in Korea and worldwide. The symptoms include shallow genital ulcers with suppurative granulomatous inflammation and tender inguinal lymphadenopathy. Chancroids can be differentiated from syphilitic chancres based on their appearance. In contrast to painless chancres, chancroids are painful. Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, and Mycoplasma hominis are considered symbiotic bacteria. Infections caused by these bacteria are usually not considered STIs and do not require treatment unless they are suspected of being associated with infertility. This article presents the 2023 Korean STI guidelines for non-gonococcal bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the field of urological surgery, robotic surgery continues to develop and increase. This paper is an overview of the present and future of robotic urological surgery. Current Concepts: Robot-assisted surgery has revolutionized minimally invasive surgery and advanced the technical limitations of laparoscopy. Urologists have always been eager to adopt new technological advances to benefit their patients, and they have also been pioneers in the field of robotic surgery. Discussion and Conclusion: Following the first approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, the da Vinci System (Intuitive Surgical, USA) remained the leading robotic surgical system for over 20 years. In 2000, the first robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy was performed in urology. Subsequently, applications of the da Vinci System in urology have grown exponentially, including the kidney, urinary bladder, and reconstructive and functional urological surgeries. To date, urology is driving robotic innovation. The first specialist-engineered system for single-site surgery, the da Vinci SP, was initially approved for use in urological surgery. Due to the advantages of robotic surgery, such as excellent visibility and operability, the demand for robotic surgery in the urology department is continuously increasing. Recently, in addition to the da Vinci System, other robot platforms are being developed and commercialized in many countries. In South Korea, robots such as Revo-I (Meere Company Inc., Korea) and Zamenix (Roen Surgical, Korea) are being released and commercialized. Urologists continue to lead the development of domestic robots and robotic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There have been few studies on the outcome of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the era when antiretroviral therapy (ART) is generalized and most of them have achieved viral suppression. Using claims data, we aimed to assess the mortality after atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in people with HIV (PWH) who maintain optimal adherence to ART. Materials and Methods: We used claims data from the National Health Insurance of the Korea to confirm newly diagnosed PWH from 2009 to 2019, and measured ART adherence. ACS and mortality were confirmed in PWH who showed optimal adherence to ART. Results: Among 7,100 PWH with optimal adherence and during 27,387 person-year of follow-up duration, ACS was confirmed in 140 (2.0%) cases, which was 1.3 times greater than statistics of the Korean general population (511.0 vs. 383.1 per 100,000). Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus were associated with the development of ACS in PWH with optimal adherence. Mortality was confirmed in 10 cases, which is 7.1% overall and 2.9% when limited to myocardial infarction. It was comparable with the mortality rate of the Korean general population after myocardial infarction (8.9%). Conclusion: ACS prevalence was higher in PWH even when optimal adherence was maintained. However, mortality after ACS was comparable to that in the HIV-negative population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A recent increase in the occurrence of canine skin and soft tissue infections, including otitis externa and pyoderma, caused by antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi has become a significant public and veterinary health issues. Objective: We investigated the virulence potentials associated with the occurrence of canine otitis externa in S. pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi. Methods: In this study, the prevalence of genes encoding leukocidins, exfoliative toxins, and staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) was investigated using previously characterized S. pseudintermedius (n = 26) and S. schleiferi (n = 19) isolates derived from canine otitis externa. Susceptibility to cathelicidins (K9CATH and PMAP-36) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was also examined in both staphylococcal species. Results: A high prevalence of genes encoding leukocidins (lukS/F-I, lukS1/F1-S, and lukS2/F2-S), exfoliative toxins (siet, expB, and sset), and SEs was identified in both S. pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi isolates. Notably, S. pseudintermedius isolates possessed higher number of SE genes, especially newer SE genes, than S. schleiferi isolates harboring egc clusters. Although no significant differences in susceptibility to K9CATH and H2O2 were observed between the two isolate groups, S. pseudintermedius isolates exhibited enhanced resistance to PMAP-36 compared to S. schleiferi isolates. Conclusions: These findings suggest that high a prevalence of various toxin genes together with enhanced resistance to cathelicidins may contribute to the pathogenicity of S. pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi in canine cutaneous infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and mortality among older adults in South Korea. Methods: Using Korean National Health Insurance data from January 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022, we analyzed the impact of various factors, including age, comorbidity burden, and insurance type, on COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. Results: Age was the most significant risk factor for mortality in older adults. A higher comorbidity burden was also associated with increased infection (odds ratio [OR]=1.33 for Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] ≥2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.321-1.339) and mortality (OR=1.537 for CCI ≥2, 95% CI 1.459-1.618) rates. While Medical Aid recipients exhibited lower infection rates (OR=0.898, 95% CI 0.89-0.906) than National Health Insurance beneficiaries, they had higher mortality rates (OR=1.692, 95% CI 1.623-1.763). Conclusion: These results emphasized the need to prioritize vaccination and allocate healthcare resources for older adults, particularly those with multiple comorbidities. Addressing socioeconomic disparities and ensuring equitable access to testing and healthcare services are crucial for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rapid and accurate identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of NTM disease. MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID (YD Diagnostics, Yongin, Korea) is a line probe assay for identification of NTM species and can be performed using HybREAD480, an instrument for automating the post-PCR steps. In this study, we assessed the performance of MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID using HybREAD480. Methods: Seventy-four reference strains, including 65 Mycobacterium strains and nine non-Mycobacterium strains within the order Mycobacteriales, were used to determine the analytical specificity of MolecuTech REBA Myco- ID. The clinical performance of this assay was evaluated with 192 clinical Mycobacterium strains, and the assay results were compared to those of multigene sequencing-based typing. Results: The accuracy of MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID for the 74 reference strains and 192 clinical strains was 77.0% (57/74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 65.8 - 86.0%) and 94.3% (181/192; 95% CI, 90.0 - 97.1%), respectively. Although some rarely isolated NTM species are misidentified, the most commonly isolated NTM species, including M. avium complex, M. abscessus subsp. abscessus, M. abscessus subsp. massiliense, and M. fortuitum complex, were all correctly identified. Of note, all M. lentiflavum strains tested (reference strain, n = 1; clinical strain, n = 10) were misidentified as M. gordonae. Conclusions: MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID using HybREAD480 was accurate for identifying commonly isolated NTM species and for discriminating between M. abscessus subsp. abscessus and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense. However, the main limitations of this assay, including misidentification of some rarely isolated NTM species and cross-reactivity between M. lentiflavum and M. gordonae, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to identify the trends in pharmaceutical expenditure (PE), share of PE in health expenditure (HE), and trends in expenditure by pharmacological groups (ATC level 1 classification) in Korea for a 10-year period (2011 - 2020) and compare the data with those of other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Using the findings, we determined the current status of pharmaceutical expenditure (PE) management in Korea and derived the implications for establishing future macroscopic policies on PE. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the OECD Health Statistics and the Korean national health insurance claims database from January 2011 through December 2020. The outcome measures were HE, PE, and pharmaceutical sales data for ATC level 1 medicines from OECD Health Statistics data during 2011 - 2020. As OECD collects limited ATC level 1 data, we used the HIRA health insurance claims data for PEs of ATC level-1 classification, including D, L, P, and S. Results: PE in Korea increased by 38.5% from 19.9 billion USD in 2011 to 27.6 billion USD in 2020, whereas the share of PE in HE decreased by 6.3%p from 26.4% in 2011 to 20.1% in 2020. In 2020, Korea ranked third in PE per capita (760.9 USD PPP) and had the highest share of PE (20.1%) among the 19 OECD countries studied. By ATC level 1 class, the highest PE was A (alimentary tract and metabolism) at 4.3 billion USD, and L (antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents) had the highest increase at 13.4%; in contrast, J (anti-infectives for systemic use) had the lowest increase in annual average PE at −0.2% in 2020 relative to 2011. Among the 17 OECD countries, Korea had the highest and the third-highest expenditures for ATC codes A and J, respectively. Conclusion: PE in Korea has continued to increase between 2011 and 2020, indicating the need for macroscopic management of PE. Our results on PE by ATC code may help health authorities in establishing future policies on PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: On February 16, 2022, 12 cases of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection were reported in a food manufacturing factory in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify additional cases and to determine the source of this HEV outbreak. Methods: This study was an in-depth investigation of 12 HEV immunoglobulin M (IgM)-positive cases and their demographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics. On-site specimens were collected from the environment and from humans, and a follow-up investigation was conducted 2 to 3 months after the outbreak. Results: Among 80 production workers in the factory, 12 (15.0%) had acute HEV infection, all of whom were asymptomatic. The follow-up investigation showed that 3 cases were HEV IgMpositive, while 6 were HEV IgG-positive. HEV genes were not detected in the HEV IgM-positive specimens. HEV genes were not detected in the food products or environmental specimens collected on-site. HEV was presumed to be the causative pathogen. However, it could not be confirmed that the source of infection was common consumption inside the factory. Conclusion: This was the first domestic case of an HEV infection outbreak in a food manufacturing factory in Korea. Our results provide information for the future control of outbreaks and for the preparation of measures to prevent domestic outbreaks of HEV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Although osimertinib is the standard-of-care treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer, real-world evidence on the efficacy of osimertinib is not enough to reflect the complexity of the entire course of treatment. Herein, we report on the use of osimertinib in patients with EGFR T790M mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer who had previously received EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in Korea. Materials and Methods Patients with confirmed EGFR T790M after disease progression of prior EGFR-TKI were enrolled and administered osimertinib 80 mg daily. The primary effectiveness outcome was progression-free survival, with time-to-treatment discontinuation, treatment and adverse effects leading to treatment discontinuation, and overall survival being the secondary endpoints. Results A total of 558 individuals were enrolled, and 55.2% had investigator-assessed responses. The median progression-free survival was 14.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.0 to 16.4), and the median time-to-treatment discontinuation was 15.0 months (95% CI, 14.1 to 15.9). The median overall survival was 36.7 months (95% CI, 30.9 to not reached). The benefit with osimertinib was consistent regardless of the age, sex, smoking history, and primary EGFR mutation subtype. However, hepatic metastases at the time of diagnosis, the presence of plasma EGFR T790M, and the shorter duration of prior EGFR-TKI treatment were poor predictors of osimertinib treatment. Ten patients (1.8%), including three with pneumonitis, had to discontinue osimertinib due to severe adverse effects. Conclusion Osimertinib demonstrated its clinical effectiveness and survival benefit for EGFR T790M mutation–positive in Korean patients with no new safety signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), tyrosine phosphatase-related islet antigen 2 (IA2A), insulin (INSA), and islet cells (ICA) are critical for determining the type of diabetes and management strategy in new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM), but there have been few reports of all diabetes-associated autoantibody (DAA) in Korea. We retrospectively analyzed 193 patients with NODM aged 0 to 18 years who were followed at two tertiary centers in Korea (2017 to 2021). Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were 93 (48.2%) and 100 (51.8%), respectively. In T1DM patients, the DAA positivity rate was 94.6%; prevalence of GADA, IA2A, INSA, and ICA was 71.0%, 71.0%, 31.2%, and 10.8%, respectively; and IA2A added 10.7% point autoantibody positivity (83.9% for GADA+INSA+ICA and 94.6% for GADA+INSA+ ICA+IA2A). Among the patients with T2DM, 12 (12.0%) were positive for DAA, and all were positive for INSA. These findings suggest that DAA at diagnosis, especially GADA and IA2A, is useful for classifying diabetes in Korean children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since 2014 in Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has designated orphan drugs (ODs) for the treatment of rare diseases. This study investigated the market share and 20 most frequently prescribed therapeutic subgroups of ODs among children and adolescents in Korea. Methods: This study referenced the Korean national health insurance database from January 2010 through December 2020. The outcome measures were the number of prescriptions and expenditures on ODs. Results: Among children aged 0-12 years, the number of patients using ODs increased from 11,264 in 2010 to 14,017 in 2020. Expenditures on ODs and their proportion of total pharmaceutical expenditures also tripled from 13.3 million USD (1.2%) in 2010 to 46.4 million USD (6.2%) in 2020. Among the overall population and adolescents aged 13-17 years, the percentage of total pharmaceutical expenditures for ODs increased from 0.4% in 2010 to 3.2% in 2020 and from 2.1% in 2010 to 11.2% in 2020, respectively. The highest numbers and drug costs of child patients were for H01 (pituitary and hypothalamic hormones and analogues, 44,839) and A16 (other alimentary tract and metabolism products, 160 million USD). The individual ODs with the highest drug costs were A16AB09 (idursulfase, 82.4 million USD) and M09AX07 (nusinersen, 36.2 million USD). Conclusion: Although the market size of ODs remained small in Korea, both the number of approved ODs and the proportion of total pharmaceutical expenditures for ODs have increased. Additional policies related to designation and reimbursement should be put in place to ensure timely access to ODs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pharmacotherapy is considered as an essential element in the treatment of psychotic disorders including schizophrenia. Discontinuation of antipsychotic drugs increases medical use and economic burden. Therefore, maintenance of medication is essential to reduce the social burden caused by schizophrenia and schizophrenia similar psychosis (SSP), and hence, it is important to investigate the rate at which pharmacotherapy is maintained. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the current status of drug compliance using national health insurance data. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study, which analyzed data from the nationwide insurance claims database. A total of 343,134 patients who were newly diagnosed with schizophrenia and SSP during 2011-2015. The adherence to antipsychotic drugs was assessed by medication possession ratio (MPR) and the risk factors of poor adherence were defined as MPR < 40%. Results: The average of the MPRs was 45.8%, and the proportion of patients with less than 40% of MPR was 50.8%. It was found that female patients, the experience of "general hospital outpatient," "" psychiatric hospital admission," general hospital admission," and patients receiving "health insurance" showed high risk of having statistically significant low MPR (< 40%). Conclusion: In this study, the drug adherence of schizophrenia and SSP patients currently under treatment, as estimated by MPR, was very low. However, it was also found that the MPR was high among patients receiving medical aid, with less medical expenses. Thus, it is possible to consider an institutional mechanism in which schizophrenia and SSP patients can be treated with less economic burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water reuse is an effective option worldwide to conserve water resources, reduce environmental impact, and reduce the costs and energy associated with water management. In the Republic of Korea, the "1st Basic Water Reuse Plan" was established covering from 2011 to 2020 and presented as policy to protect water resources, prepare for climate change, and restore eco-friendly water circulation. The sewage storage facility, which accounts for 89% of the target amount of rainwater, did not achieve the rainwater use performance compared to the original plan (43 million m³/year). In the case of gray water, the performance of the development project, which is subject to the mandatory installation, was inadequate at 48,000 m³/year compared to the planned target of 96 million m³/year. The reuse of treated sewage water exceeded the plan (129.6%) for over-the-counter water use, but 62% for river maintenance, 15% for industrial water, 12% for agricultural water, and 13% for other urban water. was insufficient. It was found that 37 million m³ of treated wastewater was reused annually, exceeding the plan by 187%. The total water reuse target, of treated sewage water is about 17% in 2020 due to the implementation of a sewage reuse project in a metropolitan unit that is used for river maintenance, agricultural water, and industrial water. However, about 50% of them are still used as internal water reuse such as washing water, cooling water, cleaning water, and dilution water in sewage treatment plants (STP), so it is not playing a sufficient role as a water resource to solve the local water shortage problem. To improve such a policy, it has been suggested that four improvements are necessary. First, it is necessary to change the perception on water reuse to hold the necessary costs in obtaining potable water. Second, the price of tap water in the Republic of Korea is cheap but if the water reuse policy is pursued, the public opinion is weak. Third, water treated from STP that meets the water quality standards is not being used properly and is being thrown away. The water treated from STP is currently being regenerated as "good water" without any problem even if it is used for many purposes through advanced treatment. However, the demand for reuse is limited due to aesthetic reason, so it cannot be used for various purposes. Finally, reuse management system of the water treated from STP has a problem with low efficiency of facility operation for supply and demand. The reuse management system should be built to increase the satisfaction of the people who reuse it, to provide stable clean sewage treatment water in response to crisis situations such as droughts caused by climate change, and ultimately to realize the public's water welfare. Through this, it will be possible to create a new market area and water business in the water industry to solve the water shortage, discover new businesses, create jobs, and secure new growth engines for the future. This paper introduces the history, status, and policy limitations and improvements of water reuse in the Republic of Korea over the past 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks can transmit pathogenic bacteria, protozoa, and viruses to humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the microbiomes of Haemaphysalis longicornis according to sex and life stages. The Shannon index was significantly higher for nymphs than adult ticks. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the microbiome composition of female adult and male adult ticks were different. Notably, Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519), known as a tick symbiont, was found in all nymphs and female adult ticks, but only one out of 4 male adult ticks had Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519). In addition, Rickettsia rickettsii, Coxiella burnetii, and Anaplasma bovis were detected in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nationwide survey of chigger mites causing scrub typhus and an investigation of epidemiologic factors for chigger mites was conducted at 16 localities in 8 provinces in Korea during autumn 2009, 2012, and 2013. A total of 233 Apodemus agrarius were captured, and all were infested with chigger mites. The chigger index was highest in Chungcheongbuk- do in 2009 (358.3) and 2012 (290.1) and Chungcheongnam-do in 2013 (294.4). The predominant chigger mite species was Leptotrombidium pallidum in the northern and central parts and L. scutellare in the southern and western parts, Korea. L. pallidum was not found in Jellanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do and the distribution of L. scutellare had been expanded in the northern parts of Korea. The chigger index of L. pallidum was positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with humidity. The incidence of scrub typhus is dependent on L. scutellare index. These findings could be helpful to monitor the distribution of chigger mites and to develop a preventive measures for scrub typhus in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotavirus vaccine is a live vaccine, and there is a possibility of infection by the virus strain used in the vaccine. We investigated the process of determining whether an infection was caused by the vaccine strain in a severe complex immunodeficiency (SCID) patient with rotavirus infection. The patient was vaccinated with RotaTeq prior to being diagnosed with SCID. The testing process was conducted in the following order: confirming rotavirus infection, determining its genotype, and confirming the vaccine strain. Rotavirus infection was confirmed through enzyme immunoassay and VP6 gene detection. G1 and P[8] were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the genotype, and G3 was further identified using a single primer. By detecting the fingerprint gene (WC3) of RotaTeq, it was confirmed that the detected virus was the vaccine strain. Genotypes G1 and P[8] were identified, and the infection was suspected of having been caused by rotavirus G1P[8]. G1P[8] is the most commonly detected genotype worldwide and is not included in the recombinant strains used in vaccines. Therefore, the infection was confirmed to have been caused by the vaccine strain by analyzing the genetic relationship between VP4 and VP7. Rotavirus infection by the vaccine strain can be identified through genotyping and fingerprint gene detection. However, genetic linkage analysis will also help to identify vaccine strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of urinary stone composition in a Korean population using a large database of stone composition. Materials and Methods: From January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2019, a total of 33,078 urinary stone composition data were analyzed. Stone composition was classified into four main groups: calcium oxalate (CaOx), struvite, uric acid (UA), and calcium phosphate (CaP). We examined the relationship between stone composition and sex, age, geographic region, calendar month, and season. Results: The CaOx group (46.41%) was the largest, followed by the struvite group (29.66%), UA group (19.61%), and CaP group (4.32%). The CaOx group tended to decrease with age, but the UA group increased with age. Also, the CaOx group had the highest percentage in summer and the lowest in spring (p<0.001). The struvite and CaP groups had higher percentages of females than males (struvite: 36.6% vs. 25.7%, p<0.001; CaP: 6.2% vs. 3.3%, p<0.001). Conversely, the UA stones were more common in males than in females (24.5% vs. 11.0%, p<0.001). The UA group had the lowest percentage in the capital region (p<0.001). The total male-to-female ratio decreased over time from 1.95:1 in 2014 to 1.67:1 in 2018 (p<0.001). Conclusions: There were differences for each stone composition in the percentages according to sex, age, geographic region, month, and season. Identifying these differences based on the stone composition is vital for the treatment and prevention of urinary stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence and species of coagulase- positive staphylococci (CoPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in retail pork meat samples collected during nationwide monitoring. The staphylococcal isolates were characterized for antimicrobial and zinc chloride resistance and enterotoxigenic potential. Methods: A total of 260 pre-packaged pork meat samples were collected from 35 retail markets in 8 provinces in Korea for isolation of staphylococci. Antimicrobial and zinc chloride resistance phenotypes, and genes associated with the resistance phenotypes were determined on the isolates. Furthermore, the presence and distribution of 19 staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes and enterotoxin-like genes among the pork-associated staphylococci were determined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based assays using the specific primer sets. Results: A total of 29 staphylococcal strains (29/260, 11.1%) were isolated from samples of retail pork meat, 24 (83%) of which were CoNS. The four CoNS species identified were S. saprophyticus (n = 16, 55%), S. sciuri (n = 3, 10%), S. warneri (n = 3, 10%), and S. epidermidis (n = 2, 7%). Among the 29 isolates, four methicillin-resistant CoNS (MR-CoNS; three S. sciuri and one S. epidermidis) and one methicillin-resistant CoPS (MR-CoPS; one S. aureus) were identified. In addition, a relatively high level of tetracycline (TET) resistance (52%) was confirmed in CoNS, along with a predominant distribution of tet(K). The most prevalent SEs were sep (45%), and sen (28%), which were carried by 81% of S. saprophyticus. Conclusion: These findings suggest that CoNS, especially S. saprophyticus strains, in raw pork meat could be a potential risk factor for staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP), and therefore, requires further investigation to elucidate the role of SEls in SFP and virulence of the pathogen. Our results also suggest that CoNS from raw pork meat may act as a source for transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes such as staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec and tet(K). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here report the first outbreak caused by rotavirus G11,P[25] in Korea in 2018, representing a case of re-assortment with pig-derived rotavirus. The genotype constellation was identical to the virus identified in Korea in 2012 as G11-P[25]-I12-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1. The infection source was not known exactly but it must be considered infection from swine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemorrhoids are a common anal disorder and are more frequent in women than in men. Urinary incontinence (UI) also occurs more frequently in women than in men. Although both diseases share similar risk factors, research on the association between the two diseases is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hemorrhoids and UI in adult Korean women. Methods: This study was based on the data of the 2008-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic regression test was performed to determine the relationship between hemorrhoids and UI after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, heavy drinking, physical activity, education level, income, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Results: Analysis of the data of 8,139 adult women revealed that the prevalence of hemorrhoids, which were self-reported and diagnosed by a physician, was 17.5% and 7.9%, respectively. Both types of hemorrhoids were more prevalent in older women with spouses, those with a large waist circumference, and those with a high BMI. The prevalence of UI was significantly high in the hemorrhoid group, regardless of whether it was selfreported or diagnosed by a physician. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between the prevalence of UI and hemorrhoids, both of which were found to peak at 19-39 years of age. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that hemorrhoids are significantly correlated with UI in adult Korean women. When treating adult women with hemorrhoids, it is, therefore, necessary to consider other pelvic floor diseases such as UI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors represents a major advance in the treatment of lung cancer, allowing sustained recovery in a significant proportion of patients. Nivolumab is a monoclonal anti--programmed death cell protein 1 antibody licensed for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after prior chemotherapy. In this study, we describe the demographic and clinical outcomes of patients with advanced NSCLC treated with nivolumab in the Korean expanded access program. Materials and Methods Previously treated patients with advanced nonsquamous and squamous NSCLC patients received nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks up to 36 months. Efficacy data including investigator-assessed tumor response, progression data, survival, and safety data were collected. Results Two hundred ninety-nine patients were treated across 36 Korean centers. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 18% and 49%, respectively; the median progression- free survival was 2.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.87 to 3.45), and the overall survival (OS) was 13.2 months (95% CI, 10.6 to 18.9). Patients with smoking history and patients who experienced immune-related adverse events showed a prolonged OS. Cox regression analysis identified smoking history, presence of immune-related adverse events as positive factors associated with OS, while liver metastasis was a negative factor associated with OS. The safety profile was generally comparable to previously reported data. Conclusion This real-world analysis supports the use of nivolumab for pretreated NSCLC patients, including those with an older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces frequently touched by COVID-19 patients, and assess the scope of contamination and transmissibility in facilities where the outbreaks occurred. In the course of this epidemiological investigation, a total of 80 environmental specimens were collected from 6 hospitals (68 specimens) and 2 "mass facilities" (6 specimens from a rehabilitation center and 6 specimens from an apartment building complex). Specific reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction targeting of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and envelope genes, were used to identify the presence of this novel coronavirus. The 68 specimens from 6 hospitals (A, B, C, D, E, and G), where prior disinfection/cleaning had been performed before environmental sampling, tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. However, 2 out of 12 specimens (16.7%) from 2 "mass facilities" (F and H), where prior disinfection/cleaning had not taken place, were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase, and envelope genes. These results suggest that prompt disinfection and cleaning of potentially contaminated surfaces is an effective infection control measure. By inactivating SARS-CoV-2 with disinfection/cleaning the infectivity and transmission of the virus is blocked. This investigation of environmental sampling may help in the understanding of risk assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in "mass facilities" and provide guidance in using effective disinfectants on contaminated surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii are intracellular protozoa that can cause neurological disease or death in fetuses and even in immunocompromised human adults. Ticks are recognized as vectors of many microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Recent studies detected T. gondii in various tick species in many countries. In this study, we performed PCR detection of the T. gondii B1 gene from Haemaphysalis ticks collected from vegetation in 4 localities, Wonju, Gunsan, Miryang, and Yangsan, in Korea. We analyzed DNA from 314 ticks (268 Haemaphysalis longicornis and 46 Haemaphysalis flava) and the B1 gene of T. gondii was detected in 13 of these. The detection of T. gondii in ticks differed significantly by region (P=0.021). T. gondii was detected in the following percentages of collected ticks: 3.7% (7 of 189) in Gunsan, 10% (5 of 50) in Wonju, 16.7% (1 of 6) in Yangsan, and 0% (0 of 69) in Miryang. The detection of T. gondii in ticks was not associated with tick species or development stage. This is the first report of T. gondii detection in ticks in Korea. Our results provide important information necessary to understand toxoplasmosis transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the genetic diversity and the population structure of 77 wild strains and 23 cultivars of Lentinula edodes from Korea were analyzed using 20 genomic SSRs, and their genetic relationship was investigated. The tested strains of L. edodes were divided into three sub-groups consisting of only wild strains, mainly wild strains and several cultivars, and mainly cultivars and several wild strains by distance-based analysis. Using model-based analysis, L. edodes strains were divided into two subpopulations; the first one consisting of only wild strains and the second one with mainly cultivars and several wild strains. Moreover, AMOVA analysis revealed that the genetic variation in the cultivars was higher than that in the wild strains. The expected and observed heterozygosity and values indicating the polymorphic information content of L. edodes cultivars from Korea were also higher than that of the wild strains. Based on these results, we presume that the cultivars in Korea have developed by using numerous strains from other countries. In conclusion, the usage of wild strains for the development of new cultivars could improve the adaptability of L. edodes to biotic and abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GENEDIA MTB/NTM Detection Kit (GENEDIA MTB/NTM; Green Cross Medical Science Corp., Chungbuk, Korea) is a multiplex real-time PCR assay used for differential identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). While the importance of differential identification of MTB/NTM is recognized, there is limited data on the performance of GENEDIA MTB/NTM assay to date. A total of 687 consecutive sputum specimens were cultured and analyzed with the GENEDIA MTB/NTM and GENEDIA MTB assays. Nineteen specimens (2.8%) were MTBC-positive, and 69 (10.0%) were NTM-positive based on mycobacterial culture. All specimens showed concordant results for MTBC using both assays, with a kappa value of 1.00, overall sensitivity of 63.2% (12/19), and specificity of 100% (668/668). The overall NTM sensitivity and specificity were 23.2% (16/69) and 99.7% (616/618) for GENEDIA MTB/NTM. The association between NTM-positivity using GENEDIA MTB/NTM and the diagnosis of NTM pulmonary disease was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the two real-time PCR assays showed similar diagnostic performance for MTBC detection. However, the sensitivity for NTM detection was lower than that for MTBC detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in canine skin and soft tissue infections, such as pyoderma and otitis, caused by Staphylococcus schleiferi strains, is of significant zoonotic concern. In this study, we report the first complete genome sequence for a methicillin-resistant clinical isolate of S. schleiferi (MRSS) designated as SS4, obtained from a dog with otitis externa, in Korea. The genome of SS4 strain was of 2,539,409 bp and presented high G+C content ratio (35.90%) with no plasmid. Comparative analysis of SS4 genome revealed that it is closely related to 2142-05 and 5909-02 strains isolated from the canine skin infections in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of livestock-associated (LA)-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in livestock animal has become a significant zoonotic concern. In the present study, we investigated nationwide prevalence of LA-MRSA across pork production chain including pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets. A total of 40 MRSA strains were isolated during the investigation and the overall prevalence of MRSA was 3.4% (n = 37), 0.6% (n = 2), and 0.4% (n = 1) in pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets, respectively. Multilocus sequence typing analyses revealed that the 2 most significant clonal lineages in pork production chain in Korea were ST398 (n = 25) and ST541 (n = 6). All of the 40 MRSA isolates were further characterized to investigate key genotypic and phenotypic correlates associated with the emergence and spread of clonal complex 398 (CC398; ST398, and ST541) LA-MRSA. Although the prevalence of swine-associated MRSA was still relatively low and mostly restricted to pig farms, multidrug-resistant CC398 LA-MRSA isolates with new spa types (t18102 and t18103) were identified as a major clonal lineage. The CC398 LA-MRSA strains tended to exhibit increased levels of multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype compared with non-CC398 MRSA strains. Of note, in comparison with non-CC398 MRSA isolates, CC398 LA-MRSA isolates exhibited significantly enhanced tetracycline (TET) and zinc resistance. These findings suggested that co-selection pressure associated with MDR phenotype, especially TET resistance, and zinc resistance may have played a significant role in the emergence and persistence of CC398 LA-MRSA in pig farms in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As various linezolid resistance mechanisms have been identified in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), we investigated the molecular characteristics of MRSA with elevated linezolid minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), using the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France). Twenty-seven MRSA isolates from 14 patients exhibiting linezolid MICs ≥8 μg/mL were examined by broth microdilution (BMD) test as well as by sequencing for mutations in the 23S rRNA gene or ribosomal proteins (L3, L4, and L22) and the presence of the optrA, cfr, and cfr(B) genes. Of the 27 isolates, four (14.8%) from one patient were confirmed as linezolid resistant by BMD and harbored a 23S rRNA T2500A mutation. The remaining 23 were confirmed as linezolid susceptible, indicating that the linezolid-resistant results were major errors generated by VITEK 2. The most commonly detected mutation (19/27, 70.4%), L3 Gly152Asp, was detected in only linezolid-susceptible isolates. No isolates contained optrA, cfr, or cfr(B) or any L4 or L22 protein alterations. Our results show that the 23S rRNA T2500A mutation was mainly associated with linezolid resistance, while the L3 Gly152Asp mutation was not related to linezolid resistance. A confirmatory test is recommended for VITEK 2 linezolid-resistant results owing to the high probability of false resistant results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) in livestock animals have become a worldwide public health concern. While the prevalence and genetic profiles of MRSA strains in pigs and pork meat have been actively studied, livestock-associated MSSA strains have only been characterized in a few small-scale studies. In this investigation, we assessed the nationwide prevalence of MSSA in the Korean pig production chain, including pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets. Among the 41 MSSA strains, the predominant clonal lineages were sequence type (ST) 398 (n = 15, 37%) and ST5 (n = 13, 32%). Although the overall prevalence of MSSA (2.58%) was low and mostly restricted to pig farms, ST398 MSSA strains showed higher level of multidrug resistance phenotype versus non-ST398 MSSA strains. In addition to the MDR phenotype, all of the ST398 MSSA strains exhibited resistance to tetracycline as they harbored the tet(K), tet(L), and/or tet(M) genes. However, ST398 MSSA strains did not exhibit increased resistance to zinc compared with the non-ST398 strains. This study is the first to provide evidence of ST398 MSSA emergence in livestock animals in Korea. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the potential of ST398 MSSA strains for human transmission. Our findings suggest that the MDR phenotype and high levels of tetracycline resistance may have played an important role in the emergence and prevalence of ST398 MSSA in pig farms in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the incidence of injuries and illnesses sustained during the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, hosted by PyeongChang on 9-25 February 2018.Methods: We recorded the daily number of athlete injuries and illnesses (1) through the reporting of all National Olympic Committee (NOC) medical teams and (2) in the polyclinic and medical venues by the PyeongChang 2018 medical staff.Results: In total, 2914 athletes (1210 women, 42%; 1704 men, 58%) from 92 NOCs were observed for occurrence of injury and illness. NOC and PyeongChang 2018 medical staff reported 376 injuries and 279 illnesses, equalling 12.6 injuries and 9.4 illnesses per 100 athletes over the 17-day period. Altogether, 12% of the athletes incurred at least one injury and 9% at least one illness. The injury incidence was highest in ski halfpipe (28%), snowboard cross (26%), ski cross (25%), snowboard slopestyle (21%) and aerials (20%), and lowest in Nordic combined, biathlon, snowboard slalom, moguls and cross-country skiing (2%-6%). Of the 376 injuries recorded, 33% and 13% were estimated to lead to ≥1 day and >7 days of absence from sport, respectively. The highest incidences of illness were recorded in biathlon (15%), curling (14%), bobsleigh (14%) and snowboard slalom (13%). Thirty per cent of the illnesses were expected to result in time loss, and 70% affected the respiratory system. Women suffered 61% more illnesses than men.Conclusion: Overall, 12% of the athletes incurred at least one injury during the Games and 9% an illness, incidences that are similar to the Olympic Winter Games of 2010 and 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The epidemiology of the association between psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease is poorly defined and remains controversial. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in patients with psoriasis compared with the general population. Methods: We searched the nationwide health claims database between 2011 and 2015 and evaluated the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Results: Prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in patients with psoriasis vs the general population in 2011 were 0.16, 0.05 and 0.12% vs 0.08, 0.03 and 0.06%, respectively, which increased significantly with time between 2011 and 2015. Patients with psoriasis consistently revealed higher standardized prevalence (age and sex adjusted) of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis compared with the general population. Subgroup analysis revealed the highest risk of prevalent inflammatory bowel disease in patients younger than 19 years (crude odds ratio 5.33, 95% confidence interval 3.74-7.59). Severe psoriasis demonstrated higher odds of inflammatory bowel disease (odds ratio 2.96, 95% confidence interval 2.54-3.45) than mild psoriasis (odds ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.51-1.88). Limitations: Limited data for doing adjustment and cross-sectional study design. Conclusions: Psoriasis patients revealed higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease. In particular, young patients and those with severe psoriasis may require closer monitoring and comprehensive management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) and osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Korea and its association with socioeconomic status. Methods: Using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Inpatient Sample (HIRA-NIS) data from 2009 to 2013, we estimated the annual prevalence of PD, OP, and OVF and investigated its association with socioeconomic status using data from National Health Insurance (NHI) beneficiaries and Medical Aid (MA) recipients. This study was supported by research funding from Korean Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2015. There were no study-specific biases related to conflicts of interest. Results: The number of PD patients in the HIRA-NIS increased each year from 2009 to 2013. Among patients with PD, the standardized prevalence rates of OP and OVF increased from 2009 to 2013; from 23.2 to 27.8 and from 2.8 to 4.2, respectively. Among patients with PD with OP, the prevalence of OVF were 12.2% and 15.1% in 2009 and 2013, respectively. The standardized prevalence rates of PD with OP and PD with OVF were significantly higher in MA recipients than in NHI beneficiaries. Conclusion: The prevalence of PD both with OP and with OVF increased and the prevalence was higher in MA recipients than in NHI beneficiaries. These findings may suggest that age over 65 years, female and low income may be a significant factor related to PD occurring with OP and OVF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined complex infections with various enteropathogens and the genetic diversity of bovine norovirus (BNoV) in 932 fecal samples from diarrheic calves in South Korea. Overall, seventeen (1.8%) of the samples tested positive for BNoV following RT-PCR examination. All BNoV-positive samples were co-infected with other intestinal pathogens, including bovine Rotavirus, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Escherichia coli. The genetic diversity of the BNoVs shared high nucleotide identity (98.1- 99.5%) and amino acid homology (93.5-98.1%) with genotype 2 BNoV (GIII.2) strains. In conclusion, BNoV infections with GIII genotypes were detected in complex infections of diarrheic calves in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mason bee, Osmia pedicornis Cockerell, 1919, which is importantly used as the pollinator, particularly for apples in Korea. We sequenced the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of O. pedicornis as an initial study for species identification and subsequent population genetic study. The size of the incomplete genome was 14,505 bp, excluding the trnA, trnC, and the AþT-rich region that were unable to sequence, but including partially sequenced trnM and srRNA. The genome included typical sets of protein-coding genes (PCGs), rRNA genes, and one non-coding region, tRNAs, excluding two unidentified tRNAs. Although positions of the two tRNAs that were not sequenced are unknown the gene arrangement of O. pedicornis mitogenome has the tRNA arrangement, trnM-trnQ-trnI, at the AþT-rich region and ND2 junction that differed from that of previously published O. excavate, which has trnA-trnQ-trnI arrangement at the junction. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs genes and the maximum likelihood method with the inclusion of a total of 12 mitogenome sequences belonging to three families in the superfamily Apoidea. Current O. pedicornis was placed as the sister to the O. bicornis, with the highest nodal support. The Apidae and Megachilidae were placed as the sister group, with the placement of Colletidae as the basal lineage for the group with the highest nodal support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2015, a large outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) occurred in the Republic of Korea. Half of the cases were associated with a tertiary care university hospital.Objective: To document the outbreak and successful control measures.Design: Descriptive study.Setting: A 1950-bed tertiary care university hospital.Patients: 92 patients with laboratory-confirmed MERS and 9793 exposed persons.Measurements: Description of the outbreak, including a timeline, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the control measures.Results: During the outbreak, 92 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases were associated with a large tertiary care hospital, 82 of which originated from unprotected exposure to 1 secondary patient. Contact tracing and monitoring exposed patients and assigned health care workers were at the core of the control measures in the outbreak. Nontargeted screening measures, including body temperature screening among employees and visitors at hospital gates, monitoring patients for MERS-related symptoms, chest radiographic screening, and employee symptom monitoring, did not detect additional patients with MERS without existing transmission links. All in-hospital transmissions originated from 3 patients with MERS who also had pneumonia and productive cough.Limitations: This was a retrospective single-center study. Statistical analysis could not be done. Because this MERS outbreak originated from a superspreader, effective control measures could differ in endemic areas or in other settings.Conclusion: Control strategies for MERS outbreaks should focus on tracing contacts of persons with epidemiologic links. Adjusting levels of quarantine and personal protective equipment according to the assumed infectivity of each patient with MERS may be appropriate.Primary Funding Source: Samsung Biomedical Research Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cutaneous myiasis has been rarely reported in the Republic of Korea. We intended to describe here a case of furuncular cutaneous myiasis caused by Cordylobia anthropophaga larvae in a Korean traveler returned from Central Africa. A patient, 55-year-old man, had traveled to Equatorial Guinea, in Central Africa for a month and just returned to Korea. Physical examinations showed 2 tender erythematous nodules with small central ulceration on the left buttock and thigh. During skin biopsy, 2 larvae came out from the lesion. C. anthropophaga was identified by paired mouth hooks (toothed, spade-like, oral hooklets) and 2 posterior spiracles, which lack a distinct chitinous rim. Although rarely described in Korea until now, cutaneous myiasis may be encountered more frequently with increasing international travel and exchange workers to tropical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify the characteristics and causes of uveitis in Seoul, South Korea. Methods: We performed a retrospective medical record review of 602 patients diagnosed with uveitis at seven tertiary ophthalmology centers between January and December 2013. Results: The most common type of uveitis was anterior uveitis (n = 281), followed by posterior uveitis (n = 152), panuveitis (n = 126), and intermediate uveitis (n = 43). Among patients with an identified cause (n = 252), 149 and 103 had non-infectious and infectious uveitis, respectively, and ankylosing spondylitis (n = 53), Behcet disease (n = 43), and endophthalmitis (n = 25) were common identified causes of uveitis. Conclusions: Anterior uveitis was the most common type of uveitis, and the incidence of infectious uveitis was relatively high in Seoul. Ankylosing spondylitis and Behcet disease were the most common systemic diseases causing uveitis in this sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: So-ochim-tang-gamibang (SOCG) is a decoction formula which has been used to improve mental activity in traditional Korean medicine. The present study was performed to evaluate whether the treatment of SOCG was involved in activating hippocampal neurons in mice which were subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS). Methods: Mice were subjected to CRS for 2 weeks to induce depressive-like behaviors. SOCG was orally administered for the same period. mRNA expression in the hippocampus was analyzed by RT-PCR. Levels of serotonin receptor 5-HT1AR in the hippocampus were determined by western blotting and by immunofluorescence staining in coronal brain sections. Cultured neurons were prepared from the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in mice to examine the effects of CRS and SOCG treatment on neurite outgrowth. Depressive-like behaviors of experimental animals were measured by open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST). Results: mRNA levels of serotonin 1A and 1B receptors (5-HT1AR and 5-HT1BR) were decreased in the hippocampus of CRS animals and increased by SOCG treatment. Signals of 5-HT1AR protein in CA3 pyramidal cells were decreased by CRS but elevated back to levels in control animals after SOCG treatment. Phospho-Erk1/2 protein in CA3 cells showed similar pattern of changes as in 5-HT1AR, suggesting coordinated regulation after SOCG treatment in CRS animals. Axonal growth-associated protein GAP-43 levels were also decreased by CRS and then increased by SOCG treatment. In vivo administration of SOCG improved neurite outgrowth of primary DRG neurons from CRS animals and also increased 5-HT1AR protein signals. Behavioral tests of open field and forced swimming showed that immobility time periods were significantly decreased by SOCG treatment. Conclusions: Our data suggest that SOCG treatment may increase synaptic responsiveness to serotonergic neuronal inputs by upregulating 5-HT1AR in the hippocampal neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public support is an important factor in failure or success of the government decisions with respect to the electricity generation mix, which highlights the necessity of developing an electricity mix that reflects social preferences and acceptance. This study explores heterogeneity in social preferences for power sources and develops an electricity mix from a demand-side perspective. The study utilizes the choice-based conjoint survey and latent class model, and bases its empirical analysis on South Korea's electric power sector. Results demonstrate that preferences for power sources in Korean society consist of two classes: one that is sensitive to the environment and one that is sensitive to risk. An electricity mix for Korea that reflects social preferences is 16.5-19.8% coal-fired, 13.3-24.9% liquefied natural gas (LNG), 9.0-11.2% oil, 22.3-32.9% nuclear, and 18.5-38.9% renewables, depending on the scenario. The study confirms that renewables are the power source with the least potential to cause social conflict, compared to nuclear and coal-fired sources. Moreover, increasing the proportion of renewables (currently only 3.9%) while decreasing the proportion of coal-fired power sources (currently 39.9%) to less than half its current level will result in an electricity mix that is accordance with social preferences in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tick is one of the most important arthropods in the transmission of vector-borne diseases. In this study, we investigated the abundance and species of ticks associated with swine and their habitats to assess the risk of spread of tick-borne diseases in host species, such as wild boars. Ticks were collected from 24 grazing or traditionally reared domestic pig farms and 8 habitats of wild boars in 8 provinces and 1 city in the Republic of Korea, by using the dragging and flagging methods. Ticks were also collected directly from 49 wild boars by using fine forceps. A total of 9,846 hard ticks were collected, including 4,977 Haemaphysalis longicornis, 4,313 Haemaphysalis flava, 508 Ixodes nipponensis, 1 Ixodes turdus, and 47 Amblyomma testudinarium. A total of 240 hard ticks were collected from 49 wild boars, including 109 H. flava, 84 H. longicornis, and 47 A. testudinarium. A total of 578 hard ticks were collected from areas around domestic pig farms. Only 2 hard tick species, 546 H. longicornis and 32 H. flava, were collected from these areas. A total of 9,028 hard ticks were collected from wild boars of 8 habitats, including 4,347 H. longicornis, 4,172 H. flava, 508 I. nipponensis, and 1 I. turdus. A. testudinarium was collected only from wild boars, and I. nipponensis and I. turdus were collected only from the habitats of wild boars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of weed occurrence was conducted to identify problematic weed species in a horticultural crop field to get basic information for effective weed control. Surveys of weed species occurring in horticultural crop fields (garlic, onion, red pepper and Chinese cabbage) were conducted in Chungnam province of Korea from April to October in 2014. A total of 516 sites of the 17 regions were identified as having 114 weed species belonging to 32 families. The most dominant weed species in the horticultural crop fields were Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum (8.83%), followed by Digitaria ciliaris (5.71%), Conyza canadensis (5.46%) and Capsella bursa-pastoris (4.67%). Specifically, as a result of this study, the occurrence of 35 species of exotic weeds, such as Chenopodium album and Taraxacum officinale, were confirmed. Almost 68% of the investigation sites was determined under dominance value 1 (range of cover < 10; numerous individuals) by Braun-Branquet cover-abundance scale, indicating a proper weed control in horticultural crop field. As a result of scientific and technological advances, an improved cultivation method is changing the weed occurrence in agricultural land. Additional research needs to be undertaken for the development of weed control methods through such periodic monitoring of occurrence of weeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posaconazole is a new oral triazole with broad-spectrum antifungal activity. Posaconazole has also shown a significant advantage of preventing invasive fungal infection compared to fluconazole or itraconazole in patients with prolonged neutropenia. Indeed, posaconazole has been commonly used for antifungal prophylaxis in patients undergoing remission induction chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. We experienced a case of fatal mucormycosis despiteposaconazole prophylaxis. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of fatal breakthrough mucormycosis in a patient receiving posaconazole prophylaxis during remission induction chemotherapy in Korea. This case demonstrated that breakthrough fungal infection can occurs in patients receiving posaconazole prophylaxis because of its limited activity against somemucorales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The primary care system in the Republic of Korea has weakened over the past decade and is now in poorer condition than the systems in other countries. However, little is known about how the two key players, patients and physicians, view the current status of primary care in Korea. This study aims to understand what problems they perceive in respect to the key components of primary care. Methods We conducted two focus groups; one with six patients and the other with six physicians. We designed and modified the guidelines for each focus group discussion through repeated review and discussion among all authors and then we conducted the groups with a professional interviewer at Gallup Korea. After the focus groups we analyzed the verbatim transcriptions to identify specific meanings and potential implications. Results From the study we identified that the patients and physicians did not have a correct understanding about the role of primary care. We also identified a significant discrepancy between their perception of primary care. In particular, the patient group perceived the quality of primary care to be poor and unsatisfactory while the physician group perceived the quality of primary care to be better in Korea than in other countries. Conclusions The focus group discussions revealed that such discrepancies in perception have resulted from Korea's distorted healthcare delivery system, undifferentiated roles among healthcare organizations, patients' freedom of choice in selecting healthcare providers and other institutional factors. There are several steps that should be taken to promote primary care in Korea. First, we should undertake efforts to improve the quality of primary care provided by physicians. Second, we should inform the general public about using clinics instead of hospitals for the treatment of simple or minor diseases. Third, we should introduce a new compensation scheme to compensate physicians for services related to health education, disease prevention, behavioral change and nutrition consultation. Finally, we should provide additional reimbursement so that primary care physicians can extend their office hours to better meet the needs of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory impairment. Codonopsis lanceolata (C. lanceolata) has been employed clinically for lung inflammatory diseases such as asthma, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of fermented C. lanceolata (300, 500, and 800 mg/kg) on learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine by using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. To elucidate possible mechanism of cognitive-enhancing activity, we measured acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) expression in the brain of mice. Administration of fermented C. lanceolata (800 mg/kg) led to reduced scopolamine-induced memory impairment in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. Accordingly, the administration of fermented C. lanceolata inhibited AchE activity. Interestingly, the level of CREB phosphorylation and BDNF expression in hippocampal tissue of scopolamine-treated mice was significantly increased by the administration of fermented C. lanceolata. These results indicate that fermented C. lanceolata can ameliorate scopolamine-induced memory deficits in mouse and may be an alternative agent for the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A rapid growth in the socioeconomic status of Koreans has triggered an unprecedented explosion of health information for the general population. Despite its obvious benefits, this increase in information could also result in potentially harmful effects for both consumers and professionals who do not use it appropriately. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the quality and accuracy of health information on erectile dysfunction from 10 nationwide daily newspapers. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed health information from 10 nationwide daily newspapers in Korea from January 2011 through December 2011. We reviewed the health information for quality by using evidence-based medicine tools and evaluated the accuracy of the information provided. Articles that simply summarized scientific congresses or journal articles and that did not include direct quotations were excluded, as were advertisements. Results: A total of 47 articles were gathered. Among them, 27 (57.4%) contained inaccurate or misleading statements on the basis of an evidence-based medicine evaluation. These statements included using inappropriate surrogate outcomes as clinical endpoints (three cases, 6.4%), extrapolating nonhuman results to humans (two cases, 4.3%), exaggerating the significance of results (eight cases, 17.0%), and using incorrect words (14 cases, 29.8%). The rate of error was higher in the information from Korean sources than in that from international sources (22 cases vs. 5 cases). Conclusions: Approximately 57% of all articles on erectile dysfunction from 10 nationwide daily newspapers were found to contain inaccuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the seasonal distribution of larvae, nymph, and adult life stages for 3 species of ixodid ticks collected by tick drag and sweep methods from various habitats in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Grasses less than 0.5 m in height, including herbaceous and crawling vegetation, and deciduous, conifer, and mixed forests with abundant leaf/needle litter were surveyed at United States (US) and ROK operated military training sites and privately owned lands near the demilitarized zone from April-October, 2004 and 2005. Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann adults and nymphs were more frequently collected from April-August, while those of Haemaphysalis flava Neumann and Ixodes nipponensis Kitaoka and Saito were collected more frequently from April-July and again during October. H. longicornis was the most frequently collected tick in grass habitats (98.9%), while H. flava was more frequently collected in deciduous (60.2%) and conifer (57.4%) forest habitats. While more H. flava (54.1%) were collected in mixed forest habitats than H. longicornis (35.2%), the differences were not significant. I. nipponensis was more frequently collected from conifer (mean 8.8) compared to deciduous (3.2) and mixed (2.4) forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codonopsis lanceolata (Campanulaceae) have been traditionally used to treat lung inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. The present study was performed to evaluate the cognitive-enhancing effects of steamed and fermented C. lanceolata in scopolamine-induced memory impairments in mice. Cognitive abilities were determined by the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. Mice orally Received fermented C. lanceolata extract at doses of 100, 300, or 500 mg/kg body weight. Fermented C. lanceolata extract (500 mg/kg body weight, p.o.) significantly shortened the escape latency times that were increased by scopolamine on the 4th day of trial sessions in the Morris water maze task. In addition, it exerted longer step-through latency times than those of the scopolamine-treated group in the passive avoidance test. Furthermore, the neuroprotective effects of fermented C. lanceolata extract on glutamate-induced neurocytotoxicity were investigated in HT22 cells. Fermented C. lanceolata extract showed a relative protection ratio of 59.62% at 500/Μg/mL. In conclusion, fermented C. lanceolata extract ameliorated scopolamine-induced memory impairments, exerted neuroprotective effects, and improved activity compared to that found with original C. lanceolata. Further study will be required to investigate the mechanisms underlying this cognitive-enhancing activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monthly surveys were conducted to investigate the occurrence of chigger mites and seroprevalence of scrub typhus among small mammals in Jeollanam-do, the southwestern part of Korea, from November 2006 through October 2007. Fifty-eight small mammals, including 57 Apodemus agrarius (98.3%) and 1 Crocidura lasiura (1.7%), were captured, and a total of 4,675 chigger mites representing 4 genera and 8 species were collected from them. The chigger infestation rate among small mammals was 69.0%. The most predominant species in A. agrarius was Leptotrombidium scutellare (54.0%), followed by Leptotrombidium pallidum (39.4%), Leptotrombidium orientate (4.4%), Leptotrombidium palpate (1.1 %), Neotrombicula tamiyai (0.6%), Eushoengastia koreaensis (0.3%), Neotrombicula gardellai (0.3%), and Cheladonta ikaoensis (<0.1%). The chigger index of A. agrarius was the highest in October (740.0), followed by November (242.0), September (134.6), March (98.3), February (38.2), January (35.3), December (34.5), April (30.8), and May (1.7). The average antibody positive rate of scrub typhus in wild rodents was 50.0%. The seropositive rates were high in October (100.0%) and November (83.3%), whereas those in other months were relatively low (28.6-57.1 %). The chigger index of L scutellare rapidly increased in September to form an acuminate peak in October, followed by a gradual decline. These results suggest that the outbreak of scrub typhus in the southwestern part of Korean peninsula is mostly due to L scutellare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the distinction between Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare lung diseases. The study analyzed data from the Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) Registry of Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea. Patients with M. intracellulare lung disease were found to have older age, lower body mass index (BMI) and respiratory symptoms. The study also found that M. intracellulare lung disease patients had a worse prognosis.