Viral load and the duration of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important determinants of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019.In this study, we examined the effects of viral doses on the lung and spleen of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice by temporal histological and transcriptional analyses. Approximately, 1×105 plaque-forming units (PFU) of SARS-CoV-2 induced strong host responses in the lungs from 2 days post inoculation (dpi) which did not recover until the mice died, whereas responses to the virus were obvious at 5 days, recovering to the basal state by 14 dpi at 1×102 PFU. Further, flow cytometry showed that number of CD8+ T cells continuously increased in 1×102 PFU-virusinfected lungs from 2 dpi, but not in 1×105 PFU-virus-infected lungs. In spleens, responses to the virus were prominent from 2 dpi, and number of B cells was significantly decreased at 1×105PFU; however, 1×102 PFU of virus induced very weak responses from 2 dpi which recovered by 10 dpi. Although the defense responses returned to normal and the mice survived, lung histology showed evidence of fibrosis, suggesting sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings indicate that specific effectors of the immune response in the lung and spleen were either increased or depleted in response to doses of SARS-CoV-2. This study demonstrated that the response of local and systemic immune effectors to a viral infection varies with viral dose, which either exacerbates the severity of the infection or accelerates its elimination.

Background: As the number of large-scale studies involving multiple organizations producing data has steadily increased, an integrated system for a common interoperable format is needed. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a number of global efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics. We are therefore observing an explosion in the proliferation of COVID-19 data, and interoperability is highly requested in multiple institutions participating simultaneously in COVID-19 pandemic research. Results: In this study, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) approach has been adopted to systemically manage various COVID-19 non-clinical trial data, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight, body temperature, organ weights, viral titer (viral replication and viral RNA), and multiorgan histopathology, from multiple institutions based on a web interface. The main aim of the implemented system is to integrate, standardize, and organize data collected from laboratories in multiple institutes for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy testings. Six animal biosafety level 3 institutions proved the feasibility of our system. Substantial benefits were shown by maximizing collaborative high-quality non-clinical research. Conclusions This LIMS platform can be used for future outbreaks, leading to accelerated medical product development through the systematic management of extensive data from non-clinical animal studies.

PURPOSE: Appropriate animal models of atherosclerotic plaque are crucial to investigating the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, as well as for the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of vascular devices. We aimed to develop a novel animal model that would be suitable for the study of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Atherosclerotic plaque was induced in 24 iliac arteries from 12 rabbits by combining a high cholesterol diet, endothelial denudation, and injection into the vessel wall with either saline (n=5), olive oil (n=6), or inflammatory proteins [n=13, high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) n=8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α n=5] using a Cricket™ Micro-infusion catheter. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed to detect plaque characteristics after 4 weeks, and all tissues were harvested for histological evaluation. RESULTS: Advanced plaque was more frequently observed in the group injected with inflammatory proteins. Macrophage infiltration was present to a higher degree in the HMGB1 and TNF-α groups, compared to the oil or saline group (82.1±5.1% and 94.6±2.2% compared to 49.6±14.0% and 46.5±9.6%, p-value<0.001), using RAM11 antibody staining. On OCT, lipid rich plaques were more frequently detected in the inflammatory protein group [saline group: 2/5 (40%), oil group: 3/5 (50%), HMGB1 group: 6/8 (75%), and TNF-α group: 5/5 (100%)]. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that this rabbit model of atherosclerotic lesion formation via direct injection of pro-inflammatory proteins into the vessel wall is useful for in vivo studies investigating atherosclerosis.
Animals ; Cholesterol, Dietary/administration & dosage ; *Disease Models, Animal ; Endothelium/surgery ; HMGB1 Protein/*adverse effects ; Iliac Artery/diagnostic imaging/pathology/surgery ; Injections, Intra-Arterial ; Macrophages ; Male ; Olive Oil/adverse effects ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/*chemically induced/diagnostic imaging/pathology ; Rabbits ; Sodium Chloride/adverse effects ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/*adverse effects

During a Korean mushroom diversity survey from 2011 to 2014, we found one new Xylaria species (X. ripicola sp. nov.) and one Xylaria species that had not been previously observed in Korea (X. tentaculata). To confirm the phylogenetic placement of the new species, we conducted a phylogenetic investigation based on internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA sequences. Additionally, the new species, X. ripicola, was subsequently analyzed for RNA polymerase II subunit sequences. We also evaluated the macroscopic and microscopic features of this species. Herein, X. ripicola is described as a new species that was collected from a natural beach habitat and X. tentaculata is formally reported as newly found in Korea.
Agaricales ; Ascomycota ; Classification ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Ecosystem ; Korea* ; Phylogeny ; RNA Polymerase II

The frequency of antibiotic resistance among Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium has increased due to the transfer of multiple resistance factors. We detected the 13 antibiotic resistance genes by multiplex-PCR and compared with the results of phage typing and antibiotic disk diffusion for 49 S. typhimurium isolated from food-poisoning outbreaks in Seoul from 1999 to 2002. Resistance genes for tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, sulfonamide, amino-glycoside-modifying enzyme, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and trimethoprim were detected in 67.3%, 57.1%, 26.5%, 8.1%, 8.1%, 5%, 2.0%, and 0% of isolates, respectively. Overall 28 isolates (57.1%) possessed two or more antibiotic resistance genes. Class 1 integron carrying multidrug resistace genes, ant(3")-IaB, blaPSE, qacE delta1/sul, and tet G were amplified especially in only DT104 isolates. Among the related resistance genes for same antibiotics, strA and strB for streptomycin resistance were simultaneously detected but tetA and tetB for tetracycline were sporadically detected. DT 104 isolates contained only aadA2 and tetG.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteriophage Typing ; Chloramphenicol ; Diffusion ; Disease Outbreaks ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Humans ; Integrons ; Kanamycin ; R Factors ; Salmonella enterica* ; Salmonella* ; Seoul* ; Streptomycin ; Tetracycline ; Trimethoprim

Noncommunicating uterine horns are rare, occasionally presenting with functional endometrial cavities, Surgical removal of the noncommunicating horn is commonly performed to prevent endometriosis and rupture of a pregnancy in these patient. We report a case of rudimentary horn with pelvic and appendicular endometriosis treated by laparoscopic resection of those lesions.
Animals ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Horns* ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Rupture

With the marked decrease in operative mortality in simple heart diseases there have been several reports on the minimally invasive and cosmetic techniques including submammary incision right parasternal approach right anterolateral thoracotomy partial sternotomy and subxiphoid approach. We report here subxiphoid approach without sternotomy for the repair of atrial septal defect as the procedure that has less invasive technique and more cosmetic effect.
Cosmetic Techniques ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Mortality ; Sternotomy ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Thoracotomy

BACKGROUND: As the internal mammary artery is far superior to the vein in the patency rate recently there has been a tendency to use the arterial graft as much as possible in coronary artery bypass grafts with the expectation of better the short- and long-term patency rate. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We sequentially grafted the diagonal and the left anterior descending artery significantly influencing the cardiac function with the internal mammary artery. There were 32 cases of sequential grafts from July 1993 to December 1998: 21 men and 11 women. The age range was from 43 to 69 years with a mean age of 56.64+/-6.41 years. There were 22 unstable angina 7 stable angina and 3 acute myocardial infarction. 8 cases of them were accompanied by stenosis of the left main coronary artery. The grafts for coronary artery bypass surgery included the great saphenous vein at 60 the right gastroepiploci artery at 5 and the left internal mammary artery at 64 coronary arteries. RESULT: One patient died from sepsis and multiorgan failure. Complications included wound infections in two cases and gastrointestinal bleeding in one patient. All patients showed decrease or disappearance of angina after operation. The postoperative coronary angiogram performed in 9 patients showed neither occlusion nor stenosis of the grafts. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that sequential anastomosis of the internal mammary artery to the diagonal and the left anterior descending artery may result in excellent short-term patency diagonal and the left anterior descending artery may result in excellent short-term patency rate and be useful for the coronary artery bypass graft using only arterial grafts.
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Mammary Arteries* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Saphenous Vein ; Sepsis ; Transplants ; Veins ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and analyze the surgical results in patients undergoing operations for multiple for multiple valvular heart diseases. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From April 1982 to June 1997 multiple valve replacement was performed in 150 patients mitral and aortic valve replacement were done in 135 patients mitral and tricuspid valve replacements in 10 patients triple replacements in 4 patients and aortic and tricuspid valve replacement in 1 patient. Of the valves implanted 157 were St. Jude 104 Duromedics 20 Carpenter-Edwards 6 Bjork-Shiley 6 Ionescu-Shiley and 2 Medtronics. RESULT: The hospital mortality rate was 10.7% (16/150) and the late mortality rate was 7.2% (8/134) The mortality rate was high in early operative period but decreased with time. The causes of death were low cardiac output in 9 sudden death in 3 congestive heart failure in 3 bleeding in 2 cerebral thrombosis in 1 leukemia in 1 multiorgan failure in 1 and so on . The actuarial survival rate excluding operative death was 83.1% at 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: With a follow-up now extending to 15 years the multiple valve replacement continues to be reliable procedure with relatively low mortality and morbidity.
Aortic Valve ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Cause of Death ; Death, Sudden ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hemorrhage ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intracranial Thrombosis ; Leukemia ; Mortality ; Survival Rate ; Tricuspid Valve

BACKGROUND: Thoracic aortomyoplasty is one of the surgical treatment for heart failure and has advantages over artificial heart or intraaortic balloon pumps. It uses autogenous skeletal muscles and solves problems such as energy source. However its use in clinical settings has been limited. This preliminary study was designed to develop surgical technique and to determine the effect of acute descending thoracic aortomyoplsty. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirteen adult Mongrel dogs were used. The left latissimus dorsi muscle was wrapped around the descending aorta under general anesthesis. Swan-Ganz and microtipped Millar catheter were used for the hemodynamics and endocaridial viability ratio. Data were collected with myostimulator on and off in normal hearts and the ischemic hearts. RESULT: In normal hearts, the mean aortic diastolic pressure increased from 72+/-15mmHg at baseline to 78+/-13mmHg with stimulator on. Coronary perfusion pressure increased from 61+/-11mmHg to 65+/-9mmHg. Diastolic time increased from 0.288+/-0.003 msec to 0.290+/-0.003msec. Systolic time decreased from 0.164+/-0.002msec to 0.160+/-0.002 msec. Endocardial viability ratio increased from 1.21+/-0.22 to 1.40+/-0.18. In ischemic hearts, mean aortic diastolic pressure incrased from 56+/-21mmHg at baseline to 61+/-15mmHg with stimulator on. Coronary perfusion pressure increased from 48+/-17mmHg to 52+/-15mmHg. Diastolic time increased from 0.290+/-0.003 msec to 0.313+/-0.004msec. Systolic time decreased from 0.180+/-0.002 msec to 0.177+/-0.003 msec. Endovascular viability ratio increased from 0.9+/-0.31 to 1.1+/-0.31. The limited number of cases ruled out the statistic significance. CONCLUSIONS: Descending thoracic aortomyoplasty is a simple operation designed to use patient's own skeletal muscles. It trends to increase diastolic augmentation and coronary perfusion pressure. Modification of surgical technique and stimulator protocol would maximize the effect to assist the heart.
Adult ; Animals ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Blood Pressure ; Catheters ; Dogs ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Heart, Artificial ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Perfusion ; Superficial Back Muscles