OBJECTIVES: An ecofriendly alternative to chemical pesticides is bio-pesticides, which are derived from natural sources. The interest in bio-pesticides is based on the disadvantages associated with chemical pesticides. METHODS: We conducted acute toxicity assessments of camphor, a major component of bio-pesticides, by using Daphnia magna (D. magna) as well as assessed the morphological abnormalities that occurred in Danio rerio (D. rerio) embryos. RESULTS: The median effective concentration of camphor on D. magna after 48 hours was 395.0 muM, and the median lethal concentration on D. rerio embryos after 96 hours was 838.6 muM. The no observed effect concentration and predicted no effect concentration of camphor on D. magna, which was more sensitive than D. rerio, were calculated as 55.2 muM and 3.95 muM, respectively. Morphological abnormalities in D. rerio embryos exposed to camphor increased over time. Coagulation, delayed hatching, yolk sac edema, pericardial edema, and pigmentation of embryos mainly appeared between 24 and 48 hours. Further, symptoms of scoliosis and head edema occurred after 72 hours. In addition, bent tails, ocular defects and collapsed symptoms of fertilized embryonic tissue were observed after 96 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The camphor toxicity results suggest that continuous observations on the ecosystem are necessary to monitor toxicity in areas where biological pesticides containing camphor are sprayed.
Camphor* ; Daphnia* ; Ecosystem ; Edema ; Embryonic Structures ; Head ; Pesticides ; Pigmentation ; Scoliosis ; Yolk Sac ; Zebrafish*

Tick-borne pathogens can cause serious problems in grazing cattle. However, little information is available on tick-mediated diseases in cattle grazing on mountains. Thus, this study aimed to understand the potential problems related to tick-borne diseases in grazing cattle through the investigation of prevalent tick-transmitted infections, and their associated hematological changes, in terms of season and grazing type in Korean indigenous cattle (=Hanwoo). Hanwoo cattle from 3 regions of the Republic of Korea (=Korea) were either maintained indoors or placed on grassy mountains from spring to fall of 2014 and 2015. Cattle that grazed in mountainous areas showed a greater prevalence of tick-borne infections with an increased Theileria orientalis infection rate (54.7%) compared to that in non-grazing cattle (16.3%) (P < 0.001). Accordingly, the red blood cell (RBC) count and hematocrit (HCT) values of grazing cattle were significantly lower than those of non-grazing cattle throughout the season (P < 0.05). Moreover, RBC, hemoglobin (Hb), and HCT of T. orientalis-positive group were significantly lower than those of T. orientalis-negative group (P < 0.05). T. orientalis is a widespread tick-borne pathogen in Korea. Grazing of cattle in mountainous areas is closely associated with an increase in T. orientalis infection (RR=3.4, P < 0.001), and with consequent decreases in RBC count and HCT. Thus, these findings suggest that the Hanwoo cattle in mountainous areas of Korea are at a high risk of infection by T. orientalis, which can lead to hematological alterations. This study highlights the necessity of preventive strategies that target T. orientalis infection.
Animals ; Cattle* ; Erythrocytes ; Hematocrit ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Seasons ; Theileria* ; Tick-Borne Diseases

Anaplasma species are obligate intracellular pathogens that can cause tick-borne diseases in mammalian hosts. To date, very few studies of their occurrence in Korean native goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) have been reported. In the present study, we investigated Anaplasma infection of Korean native goats on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, and performed phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Our results showed that Anaplasma infection was found mostly in adult female goats. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the 7 sequences identified in Korean native goats could belong to Anaplasma sp. and were distinct from A. marginale, A. centrale, and A. ovis. The results indicated that the sequences identified to belong to Anaplasma were closely related to sequences isolated from goats in China and were clustered within the same group. To our knowledge, this is the first study to detect Anaplasma sp. infection in Korean native goats.
Anaplasma/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Anaplasmosis/*microbiology ; Animals ; Female ; Goat Diseases/*microbiology ; Goats ; Islands ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Republic of Korea

No abstract available.
Echinococcosis, Hepatic*

No abstract available.
Morphine* ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Weaning*

BACKGROUND: A randomized, multicenter, open-label, parallel group study was performed to compare the effects of remifentanil and morphine as analgesic drugs on the duration of weaning time from mechanical ventilation (MV). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with MV in 6 medical and surgical intensive care units were randomly assigned to either, remifentanil (0.1-0.2 mcg/kg/min, n = 49) or morphine (0.8-35 mg/hr, n = 47) from the weaning start. The weaning time was defined as the total ventilation time minus the sum of controlled mode duration. RESULTS: Compared with the morphine group, the remifentanil-based analgesic group showed a tendency of shorter weaning time (mean 143.9 hr, 89.7 hr, respectively: p = 0.069). Secondary outcomes such as total ventilation time, successful weaning rate at the 7th of MV day was similar in both groups. There was also no difference in the mortality rate at the 7th and 28th hospital day. Kaplan-Meyer curve for weaning was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil usage during the weaning phase tended to decrease weaning time compared with morphine usage.
Analgesics ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Morphine* ; Mortality ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Ventilation ; Ventilator Weaning ; Weaning*

Diabetic nephropathy is a common and serious complication in diabetic patients. Renal diseases other than diabetic nephropathy (non-diabetic nephropathy) can occur in diabetic patients with nephrosis. The presence of non-diabetic nephropathy is noted in type 2 diabetes patients, but no data exists for type 1 diabetes. In this report we describe the case of a 15-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus, who presented with an acute elevation of urinary microalbumin excretion, general edema, and liver enzyme elevation. She had shown microalbuminuria about 3 years earlier, as well as an uncontrolled hemoglobin A1c level, but she had no diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy. A renal biopsy was conducted, and she was diagnosed with primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. She was treated with corticosteroids and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.
Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Biopsy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Edema ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Liver ; Nephrosis ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A

An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare disease entity reported to arise in various organs. It is thought to be a neoplastic or reactive inflammatory condition, controversially. The treatment of choice for myofibroblastic tumor is surgery, and recurrence is known to be rare. The optimal treatment method is not well-known for patients ineligible for surgery. We report a 47-year-old patient with aggressive recurrent IMT of the lungs. The patient had been admitted for an evaluation of back-pain two years after a complete resection of pulmonary IMT. Radiation therapy was performed for multiple bone recurrences, and the symptoms were improved. However the patient presented again with aggravated back-pain six months later. High-dose steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were administered, but the disease progressed aggressively, resulting in spinal cord compression and metastasis to intra-abdominal organs. This is a very rare case of aggressively recurrent pulmonary IMT with multi-organ metastasis.
Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Middle Aged ; Myofibroblasts* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Spinal Cord Compression

Nematomorpha, horsehair or Gordian worms, include about 300 freshwater species in 22 genera (Gordiida) and 5 marine species in 1 marine genus (Nectonema). They are parasitic in arthropods during their juvenile stage. In the present study, the used gordian worm was found in the feces of a dog (5-month old, male) in July 2014. Following the worm analysis using light and scanning electron microscopes, the morphological classification was re-evaluated with molecular analysis. The worm was determined to be a male worm having a bi-lobed tail and had male gonads in cross sections. It was identified as Gordius sp. (Nematomorpha: Gordiidae) based on the characteristic morphologies of cross sections and areole on the cuticle. DNA analysis on 18S rRNA partial sequence arrangements was also carried out, and the gordiid worm was assumed to be close to the genus Gordius based on a phylogenic tree analysis.
Animals ; Dog Diseases/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Feces/*parasitology ; Helminthiasis, Animal/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Helminths/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

Bovine coccidiosis is one of the most important parasitic diseases affecting calf productivity. Here, we investigated the prevalence of Eimeria spp. in pre-weaned native Korean calves and determined the correlation between diarrhea and Eimeria spp. Fecal samples were collected from individual calves (288 normal and 191 diarrheic) in 6 different farms. Of the 479 samples, Eimeria oocysts were detected in 124 calves (25.9%). Five Eimeria spp. were identified; E. zuernii (18.8%) was the most prevalent, followed by E. auburnensis (12.5%), E. bovis (7.5%), E. subspherica (5.8%), and E. bukidnonensis (1.0%). A significant correlation was observed between diarrhea and mixed infection with more than 2 Eimeria spp. (odds ratio [OR]=2.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–4.49; P=0.03) compared to single infection (OR=1.29; 95% CI: 0.77–2.15; P=0.33). Of the 5 Eimeria spp. identified, E. subspherica (95% CI: 1.24–5.61; P=0.01) and E. bukidnonensis (95% CI: 825.08–1,134.25; P=0.00) strongly increased the risk of diarrhea by 2.64-fold and 967.39–fold, respectively, compared to other species. Moreover, mixed infection with E. auburnensis and E. bukidnonensis was significantly associated with diarrhea (OR=2,388.48; 95% CI: 1,009.71–5,650.00; P < 0.00) in pre-weaned native Korean calves. This is the first report to demonstrate the importance of E. bukidnonensis associated with diarrhea in pre-weaned native Korean calves. Further epidemiological studies should investigate the prevalence of E. bukidnonensis and the association between E. bukidnonensis and diarrhea.
Agriculture ; Coccidiosis ; Coinfection ; Diarrhea ; Efficiency ; Eimeria ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Oocysts ; Parasitic Diseases ; Prevalence