Data-driven risk assessment of the incursion of African swine fever virus via pig products brought illegally into South Korea by travelers based on the temporal relationship between outbreaks in China

Since 2018, Asian countries have been affected by the African swine fever (ASF) virus, with major socioeconomic consequences. Moreover, the number of people traveling in Asian countries has been increasing, leading to an inevitable increase in the risk of ASF spread through livestock products carried by travelers. China and South Korea have close geo-economic ties and numerous international travelers. After the ASF outbreak in China in 2018, many illegally imported pig products (IIPPs) that were confiscated from travelers from China at the port of entry in South Korea tested positive for ASF. The detection of ASF virus (ASFV)-positive IIPPs highlights the need to further assess the risk of incursion by travelers and review the existing prevention strategies. Here, we investigated the temporal relationship between ASF outbreaks in China and the detection of ASFV-positive IIPPs in randomly confiscated samples from all ports of entry, such as flights and ships to South Korea, from 2018 to 2019 using a cross-correlation analysis. Based on the significantly correlated temporal lags between the bivariate time-series data, a risk assessment model, using the Bayesian framework, was built to estimate the distribution of the parameters for the risk assessment model and the monthly probability of ASF being introduced via IIPPs from China to South Korea. ASF outbreaks in China were significantly associated with the detection of ASFV-positive IIPPs in South Korea 5 months later. Hence, the monthly probability of ASFV-infected pig products imported from China via a traveler to South Korea was estimated to be 2.00 × 10−5, corresponding to a 0.98 mean monthly probability of at least one ASF-infected pig product arriving at ports of entry via travelers, from 2018 to 2019. To our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to estimate the risk of ASF introduction via pig products carried by international travelers to all ports from neighboring countries in the Asian region using commonly exchanged observed data. The data presented in this study can be used to refine the intervention strategies to combat the spread of transboundary animal diseases

Mobile resistome of human gut and pathogen drives anthropogenic bloom of antibiotic resistance

BACKGROUND:The impact of human activities on the environmental resistome has been documented in many studies, but there remains the controversial question of whether the increased antibiotic resistance observed in anthropogenically impacted environments is just a result of contamination by resistant fecal microbes or is mediated by indigenous environmental organisms. Here, to determine exactly how anthropogenic influences shape the environmental resistome, we resolved the microbiome, resistome, and mobilome of the planktonic microbial communities along a single river, the Han, which spans a gradient of human activities. RESULTS:The bloom of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was evident in the downstream regions and distinct successional dynamics of the river resistome occurred across the spatial continuum. We identified a number of widespread ARG sequences shared between the river, human gut, and pathogenic bacteria. These human-related ARGs were largely associated with mobile genetic elements rather than particular gut taxa and mainly responsible for anthropogenically driven bloom of the downstream river resistome. Furthermore, both sequence- and phenotype-based analyses revealed environmental relatives of clinically important proteobacteria as major carriers of these ARGs. CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrate a more nuanced view of the impact of anthropogenic activities on the river resistome: fecal contamination is present and allows the transmission of ARGs to the environmental resistome, but these mobile genes rather than resistant fecal bacteria proliferate in environmental relatives of their original hosts. Video abstract

Estimation of energy balance throughout the growing–finishing stage of pigs in an experimental pig barn

Monitoring the energy inputs and outputs in pig production systems is crucial for identifying potential imbalances and promoting energy efficiency. Therefore, the objective of this study was to measure the energy input, output, and losses during the growing–finishing phase of pigs from 1 September to 1 December 2023. A Livestock Environment Management System (LEMS) was used to measure the temperature, humidity, airflow, and water consumption levels inside the barn, and a load cell was used to measure the body weight of pigs. Furthermore, a bomb calorimetric test was conducted to measure the energy content of pigs’ manure. While calculating energy balance in the experimental barn, it was found that energy from feed and water contributed approximately 81% of the total input energy, while the remaining 19% of energy came from electrical energy. Regarding output energy, manure, and body weight accounted for about 69%, while around 31% was lost due to pig activities, maintaining barn temperature and airflow, and illuminating the barn. In conclusion, this study suggested methods to calculate energy balance in pig barns, offering valuable insights for pig farmers to enhance their understanding of input and output energy in pig production. © 2024 by the authors

Clinical outcomes of chemoradiotherapy for locally recurrent rectal cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess the clinical outcome of chemoradiotherapy with or without surgery for locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) and to find useful and significant prognostic factors for a clinical situation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between January 2001 and February 2009, 67 LRRC patients, who entered into concurrent chemoradiotherapy with or without surgery, were reviewed retrospectively. Of the 67 patients, 45 were treated with chemoradiotherapy plus surgery, and the remaining 22 were treated with chemoradiotherapy alone. The mean radiation doses (biologically equivalent dose in 2-Gy fractions) were 54.6 Gy and 66.5 Gy for the chemoradiotherapy with and without surgery groups, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median survival duration of all patients was 59 months. Five-year overall (OS), relapse-free (RFS), locoregional relapse-free (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were 48.9%, 31.6%, 66.4%, and 40.6%, respectively. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the presence of symptoms was an independent prognostic factor influencing OS, RFS, LRFS, and DMFS. No statistically significant difference was found in OS (p = 0.181), RFS (p = 0.113), LRFS (p = 0.379), or DMFS (p = 0.335) when comparing clinical outcomes between the chemoradiotherapy with and without surgery groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Chemoradiotherapy with or without surgery could be a potential option for an LRRC cure, and the symptoms related to LRRC were a significant prognostic factor predicting poor clinical outcome. The chemoradiotherapy scheme for LRRC patients should be adjusted to the possibility of resectability and risk of local failure to focus on local control.</p

The job competency of radiological technologists in Korea based on specialists opinion and questionnaire survey

Purpose Although there are over 40,000 licensed radiological technologists (RTs) in Korea, job competency standards have yet to be defined. This study aims to clarify the job competency of Korean RTs. Methods A task force team of 11 professional RTs were recruited in order to analyze the job competency of domestic and international RTs. A draft for the job competency of Korean RTs was prepared. A survey was then conducted sampling RTs and the attitudes of their competencies were recorded from May 21 to July 30, 2016. Results We identified five modules of professionalism, patient management, health and safety, operation of equipment, and procedure management and 131 detailed job competencies for RTs in Korea. “Health and safety” had the highest average score and “professionalism” had the lowest average score for both job performance and importance. The content validity ratios for the 131 subcompetencies were mostly valid. Conclusion Establishment of standard guidelines for RT job competency for multidisciplinary healthcare at medical institutions may be possible based on our results, which will help educators of RT training institutions to clarify their training and education

Modified underwater endoscopic mucosal resection for intermediate-sized sessile colorectal polyps

IntroductionUnderwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) is effective for treating intermediate-sized colorectal polyps. However, it is sometimes difficult to obtain visibility in underwater conditions.MethodsThis prospective, observational, single-center study included consecutive patients with intermediate-sized (10–20 mm) sessile colorectal polyps. Modified UEMR method was used to initially snare the lesion without injection or water infusion. Thereafter, water was infused until the lesion was submerged, then it was resected using electrocautery. We also evaluated the rates of complete resection and procedure-related complications.ResultsForty-two patients with 47 polyps were enrolled in the study. The median procedure time and fluid infusion were 71 s (42–607) and 50 mL (30–130), respectively. The rates of R0 resection and en bloc resection were 80.9 and 97.9%, respectively, with 100% technical success. R0 resection was observed in 42.9% of polyps sized ≥15 mm and 87.5% sized &lt;15 mm (p &lt; 0.01). Muscle entrapment was found in 71.4% of patients with polyps sized ≥15 mm and 10% &lt;15 mm (p &lt; 0.01). Immediate bleeding occurred in 12.8% of cases and was controlled using a snare tip or hemostatic forceps. Snare-tip ablation and hemostatic forceps ablation were performed in 27.7 and 6.4% of patients, respectively. No delayed bleeding, perforation, or any other complications were reported.ConclusionModified UEMR can be used in cases in which securing visibility or performing the existing UEMR is challenging. Careful treatment is required when removing polyps &gt;15 mm in size

Profiling of differentially expressed proteins between fresh and frozen-thawed Duroc boar semen using ProteinChip CM10

Many studies have been conducted to improve technology for semen cryopreservation in pigs. However, computer-assisted analysis of sperm motility and morphology is insufficient to predict the molecular function of frozen-thawed semen. More accurate expression patterns of boar sperm proteins may be derived using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technique. In this study, the iTRAQ-labeling system was coupled with liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis to identify differentially expressed CM10-fractionated proteins between fresh and frozen-thawed boar semen. A total of 76 protein types were identified to be differentially expressed, among which 9 and 67 proteins showed higher and lower expression in frozen-thawed than in fresh sperm samples, respectively. The classified functions of these proteins included oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix, and pyruvate metabolic processes, which are involved in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis; and sperm flagellum and motile cilium, which are involved in sperm tail structure. These results suggest a possible network of biomarkers associated with survival after the cryopreservation of Duroc boar semen