Clinical Course and Outcomes of 3,060 Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Korea, January–May 2020

Sung Ho Kyung,Kim Jin Yong,Heo Jeonghun,Seo Haesook,Jang Young soo,Kim Hyewon,Koh Bo Ram,Jo Neungsun,Oh Hong Sang,Baek Young Mi,Park Kyung-Hwa,Shon Jeung A,Kim Min-Chul,Kim Joon Ho,Chang Hyun-Ha,Park 대한의학회 2020 Journal of Korean medical science Vol.35 No.30

Background: The fatality rate of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) varies among countries owing to demographics, patient comorbidities, surge capacity of healthcare systems, and the quality of medical care. We assessed the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 during the first wave of the epidemic in Korea. Methods: Using a modified World Health Organization clinical record form, we obtained clinical data for 3,060 patients with COVID-19 treated at 55 hospitals in Korea. Disease severity scores were defined as: 1) no limitation of daily activities; 2) limitation of daily activities but no need for supplemental oxygen; 3) supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula; 4) supplemental oxygen via facial mask; 5) non-invasive mechanical ventilation; 6) invasive mechanical ventilation; 7) multi-organ failure or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy; and 8) death. Recovery was defined as a severity score of 1 or 2, or discharge and release from isolation. Results: The median age of the patients was 43 years of age; 43.6% were male. The median time from illness onset to admission was 5 days. Of the patients with a disease severity score of 3–4 on admission, 65 (71.5%) of the 91 patients recovered, and 7 (7.7%) died due to illness by day 28. Of the patients with disease severity scores of 5–7, 7 (19.5%) of the 36 patients recovered, and 8 (22.2%) died due to illness by day 28. None of the 1,324 patients who were < 50 years of age died; in contrast, the fatality rate due to illness by day 28 was 0.5% (2/375), 0.9% (2/215), 5.8% (6/104), and 14.0% (7/50) for the patients aged 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and ≥ 80 years of age, respectively. Conclusion: In Korea, almost all patients of < 50 years of age with COVID-19 recovered without supplemental oxygen. In patients of ≥ 50 years of age, the fatality rate increased with age, reaching 14% in patients of ≥ 80 years of age.

<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> GRA7-Targeted ASC and PLD1 Promote Antibacterial Host Defense via PKCα

Koh, Hyun-Jung,Kim, Ye-Ram,Kim, Jae-Sung,Yun, Jin-Seung,Jang, Kiseok,Yang, Chul-Su Public Library of Science 2017 PLoS pathogens Vol.13 No.1

<▼1><P>Tuberculosis is a global health problem and at least one-third of the world’s population is infected with <I>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</I> (MTB). MTB is a successful pathogen that enhances its own intracellular survival by inhibiting inflammation and arresting phago-lysosomal fusion. We previously demonstrated that <I>Toxoplasma gondii</I> (<I>T</I>. <I>gondii</I>) dense granule antigen (GRA) 7 interacts with TNF receptor-associated factor 6 via Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, enabling innate immune responses in macrophages. To extend these studies, we found that GRA7 interacts with host proteins involved in antimicrobial host defense mechanisms as a therapeutic strategy for tuberculosis. Here, we show that protein kinase C (PKC)α-mediated phosphorylation of <I>T</I>. <I>gondii</I> GRA7-I (Ser52) regulates the interaction of GRA7 with PYD domain of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a carboxy-terminal CARD, which is capable of oligomerization and inflammasome activation can lead to antimicrobial defense against MTB. Furthermore, GRA7-III interacted with the PX domain of phospholipase D1, facilitating its enzyme activity, phago-lysosomal maturation, and subsequent antimicrobial activity in a GRA7-III (Ser135) phosphorylation-dependent manner via PKCα. Taken together, these results underscore a previously unrecognized role of GRA7 in modulating antimicrobial host defense mechanism during mycobacterial infection.</P></▼1><▼2><P><B>Author Summary</B></P><P>We previously demonstrated that <I>Toxoplasma gondii</I> (<I>T</I>. <I>gondii</I>) dense granule antigen (GRA) 7 interacts with TRAF6 via MyD88, enabling innate immune responses in macrophages and effective protection against <I>T</I>. <I>gondii</I> infection <I>in vivo</I>. However, its exact role and how it regulates host innate immune responses have not been fully explained. Herein, we show that PKCα-mediated phosphorylation of GRA7 is essential for the interaction between GRA7 and ASC or PLD1, which can promote antimicrobial defense against <I>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</I> (MTB). Notably, PKCα specifically phosphorylated Ser52 and Ser135 of GRA7 <I>in vitro</I> and <I>in vivo</I>, indicating that GRA7 is a substrate of PKCα. The N-terminal of GRA7 (GRA7-I) was sufficient for interaction with the PYD domain of ASC, which is capable of ASC oligomerization and inflammasome activation. Furthermore, GRA7-III interacted with the PX domain of PLD1, facilitating its enzyme activity, phago-lysosomal maturation, and subsequent antimicrobial activity in a GRA7 phosphorylation-dependent manner. Interestingly, phosphomimetic mutation in GRA7 overcame the need for PKCα. Collectively, these results provide novel insight into how GRA7 can promote ASC and PLD1 activation in a PKCα-dependent manner as an antimicrobial host defense mechanism.</P></▼2>

Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of Protein Carboxyl O-methyltransferase from Porcine Brain

Koh, Eun-Jin,Shim, Ki-Shuk,Kim, Hyun-Kyu,Park, Ki-Moon,Lee, Suk-Chan,Kim, Jung-Dong,Yoo, Sun-Dong,Chi, Sang-Chul,Hong, Sung-Youl Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2001 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.34 No.6

Protein carboxyl O-methyltransferase (E.C.2.1.1.24) may play a role in the repair of aged protein that is spontaneously incorporated with isoaspartyl residues. The porcine brain carboxyl O-methyltransferase was cloned in the pET32 vector, and overexpressed in E.coh (BL21) that harbors pETPCMT, which encodes 227 amino acids, including tagging proteins at the N-terminus. The protein sequence of the cloned porcine brain PCMT (r-pbPCMT) shares a 98% identity with that of human erythrocyte PCMT and rat brain PCMT. It is 100% identical with that of bovine brain. The r-pbPCMT was purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and digested by enterokinase in order to remove the protein tags. Then Superdex 75HR gel filtration chromatography was performed. The r-pbPCMT exhibited similar in vitro substrate specificities with the PCMT that was purified from porcine brain. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 24.5 kDa on the SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The $K_m$ value was $1.1{\times}10^{-7}\;M$ for S-adenosyl-L-methionine. S-adnosyl-L-homocysteine was a competitive type of inhibitor with the $K_i$ value of $1.38{\times}10^{-4}\;M$. The enzyme has optimal activity at pH 6.0 and $37^{\circ}C$. These results indicate that the expressed enzyme is functionally similar to the natural protein. It also suggests that it may be a suitable model to further understand the function of the mammalian enzyme.

Pulsed Plasma Process for the Flue Gas Removal from the Industrial Incinerator using Peak 200-kV, 10 kA Pulse Modulator

Sung-Duck Jang,Dong-Jun Koh,Jong-Seok Oh,Moo-Hyun Cho,Yoon-Gyu Son 한국물리학회 2004 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.44 No.52

The electrical discharge process, especially the pulsed plasma discharge process can be applied to the removal of pollutant gases from industrial plants such as power generation plants and incinerators. Up to now, most of the study has been performed in a laboratory scale with short-term tests due to the lack of a reliable pulse modulator with a high average power. The pulsed corona discharge method shows encouraging results for the removal of NOx and SO2 gases based on smallscale experiments. A 120-kW high average power modulator for industrial applications of the pulsed corona process to remove ue gas has been designed and manufactured. It is one of the largest scale modulator systems in the world for treating NOx and SO2 simultaneously. Its design specications are as follows: an average power of 120 kW, a peak voltage of 200 kV with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 500 nsec, a peak current of 10 kA, and a pulse repetition rate of 300 Hz. It is required to have long lifetime and high reliability for commercial plant application because the downtime for maintenance aects plant availability. A high-power, fast semiconductor switch, a magnetic-pulse-compression (MPC) switch, and a fast-pulse transformer are essential components to meet these requirements. The 120-kW high average power modulator has been installed and tested at an industrial incinerator plant with a gas ow of 50,000 Nm3/Hr. This modulator was operated with pulses of up to 150 kV with 500-nsec (FWHM) pulse widths at a 240-Hz repetition rate in a plasma reactor. This paper presents the design details and operational test results. Especially, the dynamic operating characteristics of the MPC modulator combined with the non-thermal plasma reactor were measured, and the SO2 and NOx removal characteristics were analyzed.

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity: Efficacy, Safety, and Anatomical Outcomes

Hyun Goo Kang,Eun Young Choi,Suk Ho Byeon,Sung Soo Kim,Hyoung Jun Koh,Sung Chul Lee,Min Kim 대한안과학회 2018 Korean Journal of Ophthalmology Vol.32 No.6

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and anatomical outcomes associated with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods: We performed a retrospective review of intravitreal anti-VEGF (bevacizumab or ranibizumab) treatment of 153 eyes (83 infants) diagnosed with ROP at two tertiary hospitals from June 2011 to January 2017. The primary outcome was the rate of recurrence requiring additional treatment; secondary outcomes included incidence of major complications and final refractive error. Results: A total of 101 eyes were treated with bevacizumab, and 52 with ranibizumab. The bevacizumab and ranibizumab groups were characterized by mean birthweights of 941.8 ± 296.1 and 1,257.7 ± 514.5 g, gestational ages at birth of 26.9 ± 1.9 and 28.1 ± 3.2 weeks, and postmenstrual ages at treatment of 40.4 ± 2.4 and 39.2 ± 2.3 weeks, respectively. The two groups differed significantly in birthweights and gestational ages at birth, but not in postmenstrual ages at treatment. The mean follow-up duration was 30.9 ± 18.4 months for the bevacizumab group, and 13.9 ± 12.5 months for ranibizumab. More cases were classified as zone 1 ROP in the ranibizumab group (44.2% vs. 11.9%, p < 0.001). Major surgical interventions included scleral encircling and vitrectomy (one and two eyes, respectively, both in the bevacizumab group). Retinal detachment was noted in one eye treated with bevacizumab. There was no significant difference in the most recent spherical equivalence for the two groups (+0.10 ± 3.66 and +0.22 ± 3.00 diopters for bevacizumab and ranibizumab, respectively). Univariable analysis revealed that only ROP stage influenced the occurrence of major complications (odds ratio, 9.046; p = 0.012). Conclusions: Intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment of ROP with both bevacizumab and ranibizumab achieved stable retinal vascularization with a low rate of complications and recurrence. Ranibizumab achieved similar anatomical outcomes as bevacizumab, without additional risk for major complications.

Molecular Cloning of the Superoxide Dismutase Gene from Orientia tsutsugamushi, the Causative Agent of Scrub Typhus

Koh, Young-Sang,Yun, Ji-Hyun,Kim, Se-Jae The Microbiological Society of Korea 2002 The journal of microbiology Vol.40 No.2

A Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) gene from the obligate intracellular bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi has been cloned by using the polymerase chain reaction with degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to conserved regions of known SODs. Nucleotide sequencing revealed that the predicted amino acid sequence was significantly more homologous to known iron-containing SODs (FeSOD) than to manganese-containing SODs (MnSOD). Conserved regions in bacterial FeSOD could also be seen. Isolation of the oriential SOD gene may provide an opportunity to examine its role in the intracellular survival of this bacterium.

Gas-containing gallstones : A case report (초)

( Koh Jin Woo ),( Jung Hyun Gwang ),( Kim Young Ho ),( Seo Chan Hee ),( Lee Moo Yeol ),( Lee Jun Sang ) 대한내과학회 2008 대한내과학회지 Vol.75 No.1S

Clinical implication of change in immune parameters: comparison between advanced cancer patients and normal volunteers (초)

( Sung Hoon Sim ),( Young Il Koh ),( Hyun Mi Bae ),( Sun Joo Lee ),( Ji Eun Yun ),( Yong Oon Ahn ),( Tae Min Kim ),( Se Hoon Lee ),( Dong Wan Kim ),( Dae Seog Heo ) 대한내과학회 2008 대한내과학회지 Vol.75 No.1S

Complications Following Burr Hole Craniostomy and Closed-System Drainage for Subdural Lesions

Hyun Seok Lee,Sang Woo Song,Young Il Chun,Woo Jin Choe,Joon Cho,Chang Taek Moon,Young Cho Koh 대한신경손상학회 2018 Korean Journal of Neurotrauma Vol.14 No.2

Objective: Burr hole craniostomy and closed-system drainage (BCD) is a common surgical procedure in the feld of neurosurgery. However, complications following BCD have seldom been reported. The purpose of this study was to report ourexperiences regarding complications following BCD for subdural lesions. Methods: A retrospective study of all consecutive patients who underwent BCD for presumed subdural lesions at one institute since the opening of the hospital was performed. Results: Of the 395 patients who underwent BCD for presumed subdural lesions, 117 experienced surgical or nonsurgicalcomplications. Acute intracranial hemorrhagic complications developed in 14 patients (3.5%). Among these, 1 patient diedand 5 patients had major morbidities. Malposition of the drainage catheter in the brain parenchyma occurred in 4 patients,and opposite-side surgery occurred in 2 patients. Newly developed seizures after BCD occurred in 8 patients (2.0%), fveof whom developed the seizures in relation to new brain lesions. Eighty-eight patients (22.3%) suffered from nonsurgicalcomplications after BCD. Pulmonary problems (7.3%) were the most common nonsurgical complications, followed by urinary problems (5.8%), psychologic problems (4.3%), and cognitive impairments (3.8%). Conclusion: The incidence of complications after BCD for subdural lesions is higher than previously believed. In particular,catastrophic complications such as acute intracranial hematomas and surgical or management errors occur at rates that cannot be ignored, possibly causing medico-legal problems. Great caution must be taken during surgery and the postoperativeperiod, and these complications should be listed on the informed consent form before surgery.

Occurrence of a New Type of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae Strain of Bacterial Canker on Kiwifruit in Korea

Koh, Young Jin,Kim, Gyoung Hee,Koh, Hyun Seok,Lee, Young Sun,Kim, Seong-Cheol,Jung, Jae Sung The Korean Society of Plant Pathology 2012 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.28 No.4

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae strains, the causal agents of bacterial canker on kiwifruit, were isolated from Korea and Italy in 2011. Among 87 isolates, a total of six representative strains, three from Korea and three from Italy, were identified on the basis of biochemical and physiological tests. Identities were confirmed by PCR using P. syringae pv. actinidiae-specific primers PsaF1/R2, which amplified a 280-bp DNA fragment. The strains isolated from Korea in this study displayed BOX-PCR patterns similar to those isolated from Italy but different from those isolated previously in Korea or the pathotype P. syringae pv. actinidiae strain. The effector hopA1 and hopH1 genes, which are known to be present in strains isolated recently from France and Italy, were also present in P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains, SYS1, SYS2 and SYS4, isolated from Korea in this work. However, no amplicons of the expected size were obtained from strains previously isolated from Korea and Japan. In addition, the Korean strains isolated in this work belonged to haplotype I for the cts gene identical to those strains isolated from recent outbreaks in Italy. These results suggest that P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains isolated from Korea and examined in this work are a new type of strain similar to those found from recent outbreaks in Italy. This is the first report on the occurrence of cts haplotype I strains of P. syringae pv. actinidiae affecting kiwifruit plants in Korea.