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 seroprevalence of human toxoplasmosis has been increasing in Korea, and it is controversial whether cats are an important infection source or not. This study was performed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in a high risk group (cat sitters) and to determine the possible importance of cats as an infection source in Korea. Risk factors, including the age, sex, and diet of cat sitters, their contact experience and contact frequency with stray cats, and origin, number, and outdoor activity of their pet cats, were analyzed using structured questionnaires. A total of 673 serum samples from people who have frequent contact with cats (high risk group) and 1,114 samples from general people (low risk group) were examined for specific IgG antibodies against T. gondii by ELISA. The results revealed that the overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was 7.4% (n=1,787). The seroprevalence among low risk group was 8.0% (89/1,114), whereas that among high risk group was rather lower 6.4% (43/673), though this difference was statistically not significant (P=0.211). Among the risk factors, only the outdoor activity of pet cats was important; people having cats with outdoor activities revealed 2 times higher seroprevalence than people having cats with only indoor activities (P=0.027). In conclusion, the seroprevalence of T. gondii was not significantly different between the high risk group and low risk group, and the importance of cats as a source of infection in Korea is questionable.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Cats* ; Diet ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea* ; Risk Factors* ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Toxoplasma* ; Toxoplasmosis*

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan that can modulate the environment of the infected host. An unfavorable environment modulated by T. gondii in the brain includes tumor microenvironment. Literature has suggested that T. gondii infection is associated with development of brain tumors. However, in Korea, epidemiological data regarding this correlation have been scarce. In this study, in order to investigate the relationship between T. gondii infection and brain tumor development, we investigated the seroprevalence of T. gondii among 93 confirmed brain tumor patients (various histological types, including meningioma and astrocytoma) in Korea using ELISA. The results revealed that T. gondii seropositivity among brain tumor patients (18.3%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with that of healthy controls (8.6%). The seropositivity of brain tumor patients showed a significant age-tendency, i.e., higher in younger age group, compared with age-matched healthy controls (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study supports the close relationship between T. gondii infection and incidence of brain tumors.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Meningioma ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma* ; Tumor Microenvironment