Gwangyang Health College

Four imipenem-resistant bacteria were isolated from the clinical specimens of a patient with pneumonia. To identify the isolates, we used the GN card of Vitek II system and performed a phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The isolates were identified as P. aeruginosa (2 strains), P. monteilii (1 strain), and P. putida (1 strain), and were tested for antibiotic resistance after determining the MIC of imipenem to be ?8 μg/mL using the AST-N225 card of Vitek II system. The imipenem-resistant genotypes were determined using PCR products amplified using specific β-Lactamase gene primers. The MBL gene was identified in all four isolates. One strain of P. aeruginosa exhibited the VIM and SHV-1 type genes, while the other strain exhibited both VIM and OXA group II genes. According to the antimicrobial susceptibility test, the bacteria were more susceptible to amikacin than other antibiotics. DNA fingerprint analysis using ERIC-PCR to analyze the epidemiological relationship between strains estimated that both the P. aeruginosa isolates were similar, but exhibited different DNA band types. It is uncommon to find four strains of imipenem-resistant bacteria with different DNA band types in a single patient.

Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a multifaceted cytokine that promotes inflammation and regulates vascular endothelial cell behavior. Although some IL-32 isoforms have been reported to contribute to vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, the functional role of IL-32α in vascular inflammation and atherogenesis has not been studied.Methods: IL-32α function was assessed in cells with transient IL-32α overexpression or treated with recombinant human IL-32α by western blotting and mRNA expression analysis. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration was examined by BrdU incorporation and wound healing assays, respectively. In addition, the participation of IL-32α on vascular inflammation, arterial wall thickening, and atherosclerosis in vivo was monitored in human IL-32α transgenic (hIL-32α-Tg) mice with or without ApoE knockout (ApoE-/-/hIL-32α-Tg).Results: Our analyses showed that IL-32α suppresses genes involved in the inflammatory and immune responses and cell proliferation, and by limiting matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) function. In vivo, administration of hIL-32α inhibited vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis in hIL-32α-Tg and ApoE-/-/hIL-32α-Tg mice. Subsequent microarray and in silico analysis also revealed a marked decreased in inflammatory gene expression in hIL-32α-Tg mice. Collectively, our studies demonstrated that IL-32α upregulates the atheroprotective genes Timp3 and Reck by downregulating microRNA-205 through regulation of the Rprd2-Dgcr8/Ddx5-Dicer1 biogenesis pathway.Conclusion: Our findings provide the first direct evidence that IL-32α is an anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic cytokine that may be useful as a diagnostic and therapeutic protein in atherosclerosis.

The caudal subnucleus of the spinal trigeminal nucleus (medullary dorsal horn; MDH) receives direct inputs from small diameter primary afferent fibers that predominantly transmit nociceptive information in the orofacial region. Recent studies indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in persistent pain, primarily through spinal mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO) system, a known generator of superoxide anion (O2·−), on membrane excitability in the rat MDH neurons. For this, we used patch clamp recording and confocal imaging. An application of X/XO (300 µM/30 mU) induced membrane depolarization and inward currents. When slices were pretreated with ROS scavengers, such as phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase, X/XO-induced responses decreased. Fluorescence intensity in the DCF-DA and DHE-loaded MDH cells increased on the application of X/XO. An anion channel blocker, 4,4-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2-disulfonic acid (DIDS), significantly decreased X/XO-induced depolarization. X/XO elicited an inward current associated with a linear current-voltage relationship that reversed near −40 mV. X/XO-induced depolarization reduced in the presence of La3+, a nonselective cation channel (NSCC) blocker, and by lowering the external sodium concentration, indicating that membrane depolarization and inward current are induced by influx of Na+ ions. In conclusion, X/XO-induced ROS modulate the membrane excitability of MDH neurons, which was related to the activation of NSCC.

본 연구는 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)로부터, 독소 유전자형과 항생제 내성의 상관 관계를 결정하는 것을 목표로 하였다. 2014년 1월∼12월까지 전남 순천의 한 병원 중환자실의 임상검체 2,664건에서 얻어진 MRSA 52균주를 분리하였다. 유전자들이 암호화하고 있는 mecA, 장독소(staphylococcalenterotoxins; sea, seb, sec, seg, seh, sei, sej), 독성 쇼크 증상독소-1 (toxic shock syndrome toxin-1; tst-1), 표피박탈성독소(exfoliative toxin; eta, etb), 백혈구 용해 독소(Panton-Valentine leukocidin; pvl)를 특이적 프라이머를 이용한 multiplex PCR로 증폭 검출 하였다. 독소 유전자 seg와 sei 유전자가 각각 40균주(76.9%)로 가장 많은 보유율을 나타냈으며 다음으로 tst 34균주(65.4%) 순으로 검출 되었으며 eta, etb, sea, sed, see, seh, sej와 pvl 유전자들은 검출 되지 않았다. 2개 이상의 독소유전자를 동시에 보유한 조합의 MRSA는 40균주(76.9%) 였는데 5개 유전자(seb, sec, seg, sei, tst)를 동시 보유한 조합이 28균주(53.8%)로 가장 많은 분포를 보였으며 다음으로 seg, sei 유전자 동시 보유 조합으로 6균주(11.5%)에서 나타났다. 유전자들 간의 동시 보유율은 72.5∼100%로서 특정한 독소 유전자 seb, sec, seg, sei와 tst 유전자간의 상관성이 높게 나타났다. 특정 다수의 독소유전자(seb, sec, seg, sei, tst)를 동시에 보유한 균주들이 개별적 독소유전자를 보유한 균주(seb, sec, tst)와의 항생제 내성의 상관성은 ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin 항생제에 100% 내성을 보임으로서 공통적으로 포함된 seb, sec, tst 유전자와 이 항생제의 내성과는 밀접한 연관이 있음을 알았다.

Red macroalgae have the potential to be processed into bioethanol due to their high carbohydrate and low lignin content. Gelidium latifolium and Gracilaria verrucosa are red macroalgae commonly found in Indonesian seas. Sometimes an over-supply of red macroalgae is rejected by the food industry, which opens up opportunities for others uses, e.g. for producing bioethanol. The objectives of this research were to analyze the influence of sulfuric acid concentration on hydrolysis of G. latifolium and G. verrucosa and to calculate the optimum fermentation process to produce bioethanol. G. latifolium and G. verrucosa were hydrolyzed using H 2 SO 4 at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%, at a temperature of 121 °C and a pressure of 1.5 bar for 45 minutes. The process of fermentation was done using Saccharomyces cerevisiae in anaerobic conditions for 4, 5, 6 and 7 days. The results show that the optimum H2SO4 concentrations to hydrolyze G. latifolium and G. verrucosa were 1% and 2% respectively. The number of S. cerevisiae cells in hydrolysate G. latifolium and G. verrucosa increased in the third adaptation. S. cerevisiae can convert sugar from G. latifolium and G. verrucosa into bioethanol through fermentation. The highest bioethanol yields were achieved on days five and six. Therefore, red macroalgae can be seen as a potential raw material for bioethanol production.