Purpose: Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) is rich in phytochemicals (e.g., tannin and beta-carotene.), vitamins (e.g., vitamins A and C), minerals (e.g., calcium and potassium), and dietary fiber. Persimmon exhibits efficacy against diseases such as cancer, hypertension, and heart disease. This study examined the antioxidant and immune-enhancing activities of Fuyu (a sweet persimmon) and Hachiya (an astringent persimmon) and evaluated their potential as functional food ingredients. Methods: The antioxidant and immune-enhancing activities of Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons were evaluated by extracting them with hot water and ethanol (100%). The antioxidant activity was assessed by measuring the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (RSA), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Six-year domestic red ginseng was used as a reference for assessing the immune-enhancing activity. Nitric oxide (NO) production, phagocytosis, cytokine levels interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-10, and interferon-γ), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression were analyzed. Results: The hot water extracts of Fuyu and Hachiya persimmon exhibited significantly higher TPC, TFC, DPPH RSA, and ORAC levels than the ethanol extract. The Hachiya persimmon extract generally showed comparable or higher immune-enhancing activity than the Fuyu persimmon extract in NO production, cytokine activity, phagocytosis, and expression of iNOS and COX-2 genes. Conclusion Hachiya persimmon possesses superior antioxidant properties to Fuyu persimmon while exhibiting comparable immune-enhancing activity. These characteristics highlight its potential for beneficial applications. Nevertheless, further research is required to elucidate these effects and optimize their use in health-promoting interventions.

Purpose: Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) is rich in phytochemicals (e.g., tannin and beta-carotene.), vitamins (e.g., vitamins A and C), minerals (e.g., calcium and potassium), and dietary fiber. Persimmon exhibits efficacy against diseases such as cancer, hypertension, and heart disease. This study examined the antioxidant and immune-enhancing activities of Fuyu (a sweet persimmon) and Hachiya (an astringent persimmon) and evaluated their potential as functional food ingredients. Methods: The antioxidant and immune-enhancing activities of Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons were evaluated by extracting them with hot water and ethanol (100%). The antioxidant activity was assessed by measuring the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (RSA), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Six-year domestic red ginseng was used as a reference for assessing the immune-enhancing activity. Nitric oxide (NO) production, phagocytosis, cytokine levels interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-10, and interferon-γ), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression were analyzed. Results: The hot water extracts of Fuyu and Hachiya persimmon exhibited significantly higher TPC, TFC, DPPH RSA, and ORAC levels than the ethanol extract. The Hachiya persimmon extract generally showed comparable or higher immune-enhancing activity than the Fuyu persimmon extract in NO production, cytokine activity, phagocytosis, and expression of iNOS and COX-2 genes. Conclusion Hachiya persimmon possesses superior antioxidant properties to Fuyu persimmon while exhibiting comparable immune-enhancing activity. These characteristics highlight its potential for beneficial applications. Nevertheless, further research is required to elucidate these effects and optimize their use in health-promoting interventions.

Purpose: Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) is rich in phytochemicals (e.g., tannin and beta-carotene.), vitamins (e.g., vitamins A and C), minerals (e.g., calcium and potassium), and dietary fiber. Persimmon exhibits efficacy against diseases such as cancer, hypertension, and heart disease. This study examined the antioxidant and immune-enhancing activities of Fuyu (a sweet persimmon) and Hachiya (an astringent persimmon) and evaluated their potential as functional food ingredients. Methods: The antioxidant and immune-enhancing activities of Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons were evaluated by extracting them with hot water and ethanol (100%). The antioxidant activity was assessed by measuring the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (RSA), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Six-year domestic red ginseng was used as a reference for assessing the immune-enhancing activity. Nitric oxide (NO) production, phagocytosis, cytokine levels interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-10, and interferon-γ), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression were analyzed. Results: The hot water extracts of Fuyu and Hachiya persimmon exhibited significantly higher TPC, TFC, DPPH RSA, and ORAC levels than the ethanol extract. The Hachiya persimmon extract generally showed comparable or higher immune-enhancing activity than the Fuyu persimmon extract in NO production, cytokine activity, phagocytosis, and expression of iNOS and COX-2 genes. Conclusion Hachiya persimmon possesses superior antioxidant properties to Fuyu persimmon while exhibiting comparable immune-enhancing activity. These characteristics highlight its potential for beneficial applications. Nevertheless, further research is required to elucidate these effects and optimize their use in health-promoting interventions.

Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.), Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis berlandi (=A. simplex sp. C), and Anisakis typica are the 4 major species of Anisakis type I larvae. In the Republic of Korea (Korea), A. pegreffii, A. berlandi, and A. typica larvae in fish hosts has seldom been documented. In this study, molecular analysis was performed on Anisakis larvae from the sea eels (Astroconger myriaster), the major source of human anisakiasis in Korea, collected from Tongyeong City, a southern coastal area of Korea. All 20 sea eels examined were infected with Anisakis type I larvae (160 larvae; 8 per fish). Their species were analyzed using PCR-RFLP patterns and nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, 5.8 subunit gene, and ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 2 (cox2). Most (86.8%; 112/129) of the Anisakis type I larvae were A. pegreffii, and 7.8% (10/129) were A. typica. The remaining 5.4% (7/129) was not identified. Thus, A. pegreffii is the major species of anisakid larvae in sea eels of the southern coast of Korea.
Animals ; Anisakiasis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Anisakis/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; DNA, Helminth/genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics ; *Eels/growth & development ; Fish Diseases/*parasitology ; Larva/classification/genetics ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Republic of Korea

Echinostoma mekongi n. sp. (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) is described based on adult flukes collected from humans residing along the Mekong River in Cambodia. Total 256 flukes were collected from the diarrheic stool of 6 echinostome egg positive villagers in Kratie and Takeo Province after praziquantel treatment and purging. Adults of the new species were 9.0-13.1 (av. 11.3) mm in length and 1.3-2.5 (1.9) mm in maximum width and characterized by having a head collar armed with 37 collar spines (dorsal spines arranged in 2 alternative rows), including 5 end group spines. The eggs in feces and worm uterus were 98-132 (117) μm long and 62-90 (75) μm wide. These morphological features closely resembled those of Echinostoma revolutum, E. miyagawai, and several other 37-collar-spined Echinostoma species. However, sequencing of the nuclear ITS (ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2) and 2 mitochondrial genes, cox1 and nad1, revealed unique features distinct from E. revolutum and also from other 37-collar-spined Echinostoma group available in GenBank (E. bolschewense, E. caproni, E. cinetorchis, E. deserticum, E. miyagawai, E. nasincovae, E. novaezealandense, E. paraensei, E. paraulum, E. robustum, E. trivolvis, and Echinostoma sp. IG). Thus, we assigned our flukes as a new species, E. mekongi. The new species revealed marked variation in the morphology of testes (globular or lobulated), and smaller head collar, collar spines, oral and ventral suckers, and cirrus sac compared to E. revolutum and E. miyagawai. Epidemiological studies regarding the geographical distribution and its life history, including the source of human infections, remain to be performed.

Echinostoma flukes armed with 37 collar spines on their head collar are called as 37-collar-spined Echinostoma spp. (group) or ‘Echinostoma revolutum group’. At least 56 nominal species have been described in this group. However, many of them were morphologically close to and difficult to distinguish from the other, thus synonymized with the others. However, some of the synonymies were disagreed by other researchers, and taxonomic debates have been continued. Fortunately, recent development of molecular techniques, in particular, sequencing of the mitochondrial (nad1 and cox1) and nuclear genes (ITS region; ITS1-5.8S-ITS2), has enabled us to obtain highly useful data on phylogenetic relationships of these 37-collar-spined Echinostoma spp. Thus, 16 different species are currently acknowledged to be valid worldwide, which include E. revolutum, E. bolschewense, E. caproni, E. cinetorchis, E. deserticum, E. lindoense, E. luisreyi, E. mekongi, E. miyagawai, E. nasincovae, E. novaezealandense, E. paraensei, E. paraulum, E. robustum, E. trivolvis, and Echinostoma sp. IG of Georgieva et al., 2013. The validity of the other 10 species is retained until further evaluation, including molecular analyses; E. acuticauda, E. barbosai, E. chloephagae, E. echinatum, E. jurini, E. nudicaudatum, E. parvocirrus, E. pinnicaudatum, E. ralli, and E. rodriguesi. In this review, the history of discovery and taxonomic debates on these 26 valid or validity-retained species are briefly reviewed.

Anisakiasis is a zoonotic disease induced by anisakid nematodes, and endoscopic inspection is used for a diagnosis or remedy for it. Anisakis simplex, Anisakis physeteris, and Pseudoterranova decipiens had been reported to be the major species causing human infections, particularly, in Japan. However, in Korea, recent studies strongly suggested that Anisakis pegreffii is the major species of human infections. To support this suggestion, we collected anisakid larvae (n=20) from 20 human patients who were undergone gastrointestinal endoscopy at a health check-up center in Korea, and molecular identification was performed on the larvae using PCR-RFLP analysis and gene sequencing of rDNA ITS regions and mtDNA cox2. In addition, anisakid larvae (n=53) collected from the sea eel (Astroconger myriaster) were also examined for comparison with those extracted from humans. The results showed that all human samples (100%) were identified as A. pegreffii, whereas 90.7% of the samples from the sea eel were A. pegreffii with the remaining 9.3% being Hysterothylacium aduncum. Our study confirmed that A. pegreffii is the predominant species causing human anisakiasis in Korea, and this seems to be due to the predominance of this larval type in the fish (sea eels) popularly consumed by the Korean people. The possibility of human infection with H. aduncum in Korea is also suggested.
Anisakiasis ; Anisakis ; Diagnosis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Eels ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Larva ; Zoonoses

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, non-infectious, neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by painful ulcers with indistinct borders and peripheral erythema. The diagnosis of PG requires the exclusion of other causes of similar appearing skin manifestations, including vasculitis and infections. The pathogenesis of PG is not clear; however, dysregulation of the immune system has been suggested in previous studies. More than half of the PG patients have underlying diseases; the most common being inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The progression of PG in IBD patients is seen after the onset of IBD, usually during its exacerbation. On the other hand, PG may follow a course independent of the intestinal disease. We present a case of an 18-year-old young male with PG that presented before being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as an associated condition. He had a painful ulcerative lesion on his right shin with no previous gastrointestinal symptoms. This case suggests that investigating for underlying disorders is essential in PG patients despite the lack of symptoms other than the skin lesions.

The increasing prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the human population in the Republic of Korea (= Korea) is due to various reasons such as an increase in meat consumption. However, the importance of cats in transmitting T. gondii infection through oocysts to humans has seldom been assessed. A total of 300 fecal samples of stray cats captured around Seoul from June to August 2013 were examined for T. gondii B1 gene (indicating the presence of oocysts) using nested-PCR. Fourteen (4.7%) of 300 cats examined were positive for B1 gene. Female cats (7.5%) showed a higher prevalence than male cats (1.4%). Cats younger than 3 months (5.5%) showed a higher prevalence than cats (1.5%) older than 3 months. For laboratory passage of the positive samples, the fecal suspension (0.2 ml) of B1 gene positive cats was orally inoculated into experimental mice. Brain tissues of the mice were obtained after 40 days and examined for the presence of tissue cysts. Two isolates were successfully passaged (designated KNIH-1 and KNIH-2) and were molecularly analyzed using the SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences. The SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences showed high homologies with the ME49 strain (less virulent strain). The results indicated the importance of stray cats in transmitting T. gondii to humans in Korea, as revealed by detection of B1 gene in fecal samples. T. gondii isolates from cats were successfully passaged in the laboratory for the first time in Korea.
Animals ; Cat Diseases/diagnosis/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Cats ; Feces/*parasitology ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics ; Seoul/epidemiology ; Toxoplasma/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis/epidemiology/parasitology/transmission ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/diagnosis/epidemiology/*parasitology

PURPOSE: Clinical performance examination(CPX) using standardized patients(SPs) is an acceptable method of testing medical professionals, but there has been some concerns about security. The objective of this work is to examine whether the day of the examination influences the scores of examinees of different medical schools at different times throughout the examination period. METHODS: Six medical schools, which had participated in the Seoul-Gyeonggi CPX Consortium 2005, were enrolled. Each station, controlled by the same regulations, included 12 minutes of SP encounter and 5 minutes of writing a short essay. We compared the mean scores using ANOVA and linear trends with multiple regression analyses and SPSS version 11.0. RESULTS: The mean score of examinees from all 6 medical schools was 63.2+/-.9. There was no difference in total mean scores among the medical schools according to the period when CPX was conducted. Classified by their examination day, there was no difference among the mean scores of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day, but in one school where the examination was performed for 5days, the mean scores of the 4th day was higher than the others(p<0.05). There were trends of linear increases over the five days for the 'physical examination'question, but not for 'physician-patient interaction'and 'patient education'. CONCLUSION: The changes in scores according to the examination day in this study did not show consistent results. However, the variable results seen according to school, test question, and examination day need further analysis for test security issues.
Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Schools, Medical* ; Social Control, Formal ; Writing