Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles and Molecular Characteristics of Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolates from Food Animals During 2010-2021 in South Korea.

Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Salmonella is emerging as a worldwide public health concern. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles and molecular characteristics of ESBL-producing Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). We obtained a total of 995 S. Typhimurium isolates from the feces and carcasses of pigs (n = 678), chickens (n = 202), and cattle (n = 115) during 2010-2021 in Korea. We found that 35 S. Typhimurium isolates (3.5%) showed resistance to ceftiofur: pigs (51.4%, 18/35) and cattle (42.9%, 15/35). All of the ceftiofur-resistant S. Typhimurium isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance. Moreover, ceftiofur-resistant S. Typhimurium isolates displayed significantly higher rates of resistance to chloramphenicol and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole than ceftiofur-susceptible S. Typhimurium isolates (p < 0.05). The ceftiofur-resistant S. Typhimurium isolates produced four different CTX-M-type ß-lactamase, comprising blaCTX-M-55 in the majority (51.4%, 18/35), followed by blaCTX-M-65 (28.6%, 10/35), blaCTX-M-14 (17.1%, 6/35), and blaCTX-M-1 (2.9%, 1/35). Among the 35 ceftiofur-resistant S. Typhimurium isolates, 16 blaCTX-M-55-positive isolates and one blaCTX-M-1-positive isolate were transferred to recipient Escherichia coli RG488 by conjugation. The predominantly found transposable units were blaCTX-M-55-orf477 (45.7%, 16/35), followed by blaCTX-M-65-IS903 (28.6%, 10/35) and blaCTX-M-14-IS903 (17.1%, 6/35). Ceftiofur-resistant S. Typhimurium represented 19 types, with types P1-19 (22.9%, 8/35) and P12-34 (22.9%, 8/35) making up the majority and being found in most farms nationwide. Sequence types (STs) were different by animal species: ST19 (48.6%, 17/35) and ST34 (42.9%, 15/35) were mostly found STs in pigs and cattle, respectively. These findings showed that food animals, especially pigs and cattle, act as reservoirs of blaCTX-M-harboring S. Typhimurium that can potentially be spread to humans.

Predicting Support for COVID-19 Policies with Partisan Media Use and Negative Emotion: Evidence from the U.S. and South Korea.

While prior scholarship on preventive health behaviors has focused on identifying their cognitive predictors, emerging literature suggests that emotion may also be an important determinant of health behaviors. Drawing from appraisal theory and the discrete-emotions models of affect, the current study establishes emotional pathways to support for COVID-19 policies and social distancing behavior. Analyses of survey data collected in the U.S. and South Korea demonstrate that negative emotion experienced following partisan media use increases support for COVID-19 policies and social distancing behavior. Particularly, fear and anxiety toward the pandemic emerged as strong mediators in both countries while sadness also mediated the pathways in the U.S.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolated from Healthy Dogs and Cats in South Korea, 2020-2022.

The occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in companion animals poses public health hazards globally. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance profiles and patterns of commensal E. coli strains obtained from fecal samples of healthy dogs and cats in South Korea between 2020 and 2022. In total, 843 E. coli isolates (dogs, n = 637, and cats, n = 206) were assessed for susceptibility to 20 antimicrobials. The resistance rates of the most tested antimicrobials were significantly higher in dog than in cat isolates. Cefalexin (68.9%) demonstrated the highest resistance rates, followed by ampicillin (38.3%), tetracycline (23.1%), and cefazolin (18.7%). However, no or very low resistance (0-0.6%) to amikacin, imipenem, piperacillin, and colistin was found in both dog and cat isolates. Overall, 42.3% of the isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR). MDR in isolates from dogs (34.9%) was significantly higher than in those from cats (20.9%). The main components of the resistance patterns were cefalexin and ampicillin in both dog and cat isolates. Additionally, MDR patterns in isolates from dogs (29.2%) and cats (16%) were shown to encompass five or more antimicrobials. Multidrug-resistant commensal E. coli could potentially be spread to humans or other animals through clonal or zoonotic transmission. Therefore, the incidence of antimicrobial resistance in companion animals highlights the urgent need to restrict antimicrobial resistance and ensure the prudent use of antimicrobials in Korea.

Idiopathic Retroperitoneal Hematoma with Spontaneous Resolution.

A 54-year-old man was transferred from another hospital due to a hematoma in the third portion of the duodenum on abdomen CT. He had been admitted for 2 weeks due to vomiting at another hospital. He had abdominal discomfort and nausea without abdominal pain when he visited the Gwangyang Sarang Hospital. Other than a distended abdomen and mild general abdominal tenderness, the results of physical examination were unremarkable. Abdominal CT revealed an approximately 9 cm thick walled hematoma at the anteroinferior site of the duodenal third portion. Upper endoscopy revealed stenosis of the third portion of the duodenum without mucosal lesions. The endoscope was not advanced through the narrowed duodenal lumen. A retroperitoneal hematoma was diagnosed, and his state was classified as subacute rather than acute based on the duration. The surgeon did not recommend surgical treatment. Urgent treatment was unnecessary; he was managed conservatively. The size of the hematoma decreased from 9.0 cm to 5.8 cm on the following CT. He could begin to eat food on the 26th admission day, and he was discharged on the 31st admission day. The hematoma disappeared entirely on the following CT. This paper describes a rare case of idiopathic retroperitoneal hematoma with a spontaneous resolution.

Organelle-selective fluorescent Cu2+ ion probes: revealing the endoplasmic reticulum as a reservoir for Cu-overloading.

Two novel Cu(2+) sensors, 1 and 2, bearing naphthalimide and a DPA moiety were synthesized to study copper accumulation in organelles by selective Cu(2+) sensing. The ER-selective Cu(2+) sensor 1 that we developed serves as a valuable tool for understanding the subcellular compartmentalization and roles of copper ions in physiology and pathophysiology.