• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.61-67
• /
• 2011

Purpose : This study was performed to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of human bocavirus (HBoV)-associated lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in children. Methods : Nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were obtained from 658 children who had been hospitalized for LRTIs in Seoul National University (SNU) Children's Hospital and SNU Bundang Hospital from March 2000 to September 2005. Multiplex RT-PCR was performed to detect 11 respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza viruses 1 and 3, influenza viruses A and B, human metapneumovirus, HBoV, human coronavirus (HCoV) OC43/ 229E, and HCoV-NL63. Clinical data were reviewed retrospectively. Results : Overall, respiratory viruses were detected in 325 (49.4%) among 658 patients. HBoV was detected in 62 cases (9.4%) and was responsible for 19.1% of virus-positive cases. HBoV was prevalent among infants and young children aged from 3 months to 5 years with the mean age of 25.3 months. Co-detection of HBoV and other respiratory viruses was observed in 37.1% which is significantly higher than average co-detection rate (12.3%) among overall virus-positive cases (P=0.000). HBoV was identified mainly in late spring and early summer from May to July. Conclusion : This study describes epidemiologic features of HBoV in Korean children compared with those associated with other respiratory viruses. HBoV was prevalent among LRTIs in childhood, especially in late spring and early summer season in Korea.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.175-182
• /
• 2020

The non-contact eye tracking is a nonintrusive human-computer interface providing hands-free communications for people with severe disabilities. Recently. it is expected to do an important role in non-contact systems due to the recent coronavirus COVID-19, etc. This paper proposes a novel approach for an eye mouse using an eye tracking method based on a context-aware based AdaBoost multi-region classifier and ASSL algorithm. The conventional AdaBoost algorithm, however, cannot provide sufficiently reliable performance in face tracking for eye cursor pointing estimation, because it cannot take advantage of the spatial context relations among facial features. Therefore, we propose the eye-region context based AdaBoost multiple classifier for the efficient non-contact gaze tracking and mouse implementation. The proposed method detects, tracks, and aggregates various eye features to evaluate the gaze and adjusts active and semi-supervised learning based on the on-screen cursor. The proposed system has been successfully employed in eye location, and it can also be used to detect and track eye features. This system controls the computer cursor along the user's gaze and it was postprocessing by applying Gaussian modeling to prevent shaking during the real-time tracking using Kalman filter. In this system, target objects were randomly generated and the eye tracking performance was analyzed according to the Fits law in real time. It is expected that the utilization of non-contact interfaces.

• Smart Media Journal
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 2020

Due to the recent economic development and the improvement of income level in China, the desire for quality medical services is increasing compared to the past. As an alternative to satisfy these needs, various applications using smart phones and the like are being developed. The new corona that occurred in December 2019 began to show great interest in non-face-to-face telemedicine services using smart phones due to the worldwide spread of the coronavirus. Therefore, in this study, a total of 200 people were surveyed on the top three mobile medical applications in China, and the data of 120 people who actually used medical applications were analyzed based on Venkatesh's UTAUT2 theory. A study was conducted on the intent to use and the factors affecting the in-law behavior. First, it has become clear that the interactive characteristics, expectations for effort, price value, interest in privacy, habits, and promotional conditions have a positive impact on the user's use. Second, it was investigated that the user's intention to use influences the behavior of use, and among the intentions of use, it was found that the mobilization characteristic expectation, hedonistic motivation, price value, habits, and promotion conditions affect the use behavior. Third, a study result was derived that the controlling variables such as gender, age, school age, and annual income do not affect the user's intention to use mobile medical applications as a controlling variable. Finally, due to the nature of mobile devices that use the Internet, various security vulnerabilities exist, and this can cause great damage or personal and social impact. Therefore, for the development of mobile medical services in China, it is necessary to re-establish a research model through comprehensive and in-depth considerations to supplement these problems in the future.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.33.1-33.13
• /
• 2023

Vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been acknowledged as an effective mean of preventing infection and hospitalization. However, the emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has led to substantial increase in infections among children and adolescents. Vaccine-induced immunity and longevity have not been well defined in this population. Therefore, we aimed to analyze humoral and cellular immune responses against ancestral and SARS-CoV-2 variants after two shots of the BNT162b2 vaccine in healthy adolescents. Although vaccination induced a robust increase of spike-specific binding Abs and neutralizing Abs against the ancestral and SARS-CoV-2 variants, the neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant was significantly low. On the contrary, vaccine-induced memory CD4⁺ T cells exhibited substantial responses against both ancestral and Omicron spike proteins. Notably, CD4⁺ T cell responses against both ancestral and Omicron strains were preserved at 3 months after two shots of the BNT162b2 vaccine without waning. Polyfunctionality of vaccine-induced memory T cells was also preserved in response to Omicron spike protein. The present findings characterize the protective immunity of vaccination for adolescents in the era of continuous emergence of variants/subvariants.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.481-491
• /
• 2024

Paxlovid is the first approved oral treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 and includes nirmatrelvir, a protease inhibitor targeting the main protease (M^pro) of SARS-CoV-2, as one of the key components. While some specific mutations emerged in M^pro were revealed to significantly reduce viral susceptibility to nirmatrelvir in vitro, there is no report regarding resistance to nirmatrelvir in patients and animal models for SARS-CoV-2 infection yet. We recently developed xenograft tumors derived from Calu-3 cells in immunodeficient mice and demonstrated extended replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the tumors. In this study, we investigated the effect of nirmatrelvir administration on SARS-CoV-2 replication. Treatment with nirmatrelvir after virus infection significantly reduced the replication of the parental SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 Omicron at 5 days post-infection (dpi). However, the virus titers were completely recovered at the time points of 15 and 30 dpi. The virus genomes in the tumors at 30 dpi were analyzed to investigate whether nirmatrelvir-resistant mutant viruses had emerged during the extended replication of SARS-CoV-2. Various mutations in several genes including ORF1ab, ORF3a, ORF7a, ORF7b, ORF8, and N occurred in the SARS-CoV-2 genome; however, no mutations were induced in the M^pro sequence by a single round of nirmatrelvir treatment, and none were observed even after two rounds of treatment. The parental SARS-CoV-2 and its sublineage isolates showed similar IC₅₀ values of nirmatrelvir in Vero E6 cells. Therefore, it is probable that inducing viral resistance to nirmatrelvir in vivo is challenging differently from in vitro passage.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.149-164
• /
• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The economic recession caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic disproportionately affected poor and vulnerable populations globally. Better uunderstanding of vulnerability to shocks in food supply and demand in the Asia Pacific region is needed. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Using secondary data from rapid assessment surveys during the pandemic response (n = 10,420 in mid-2020; n = 6,004 in mid-2021) in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, this study examined the risk factors for reported income reduction or job loss in mid-2021 and the temporal trend in food security status (household food availability, and market availability and affordability of essential items) from mid-2020 to mid-2021. RESULTS: The proportion of job loss/reduced household income was highest in India (60.4%) and lowest in Indonesia (39.0%). Urban residence (odds ratio [OR] range, 2.20-4.11; countries with significant results only), female respondents (OR range, 1.40-1.69), engagement in daily waged labor (OR range, 1.54-1.68), and running a small trade/business (OR range, 1.66-2.71) were significantly associated with income reduction or job loss in three out of 4 countries (all P < 0.05). Food stock availability increased significantly in 2021 compared to 2020 in all four countries (OR range, 1.91-4.45) (all P < 0.05). Availability of all essential items at markets increased in India (OR range, 1.45-3.99) but decreased for basic foods, hygiene items, and medicine in Vietnam (OR range, 0.81-0.86) in 2021 compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). In 2021, the affordability of all essential items significantly improved in India (OR range, 1.18-3.49) while the affordability of rent, health care, and loans deteriorated in Indonesia (OR range, 0.23-0.71) when compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term social protection programs need to be carefully designed and implemented to address food insecurity among vulnerable groups, considering each country's market conditions, consumer food purchasing behaviors, and financial support capacity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.373-379
• /
• 2010

Purpose : This study was performed to investigate the epidemiologic and clinical features of 13 respiratory viruses in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRIs). Methods : Nasopharyngeal aspirates were prospectively obtained from 325 children aged 15 years or less from May 2008 to April 2009 and were tested for the presence of 13 respiratory viruses by multiplex real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results : Viruses were identified in 270 children (83.1%). Co-infections with ${\geq}2$ viruses were observed in 71 patients (26.3 %). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most common virus detected (33.2%), followed by human rhinovirus (hRV) (19.1%), influenza virus (Flu A) (16.9%), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) (15.4%), parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) (8.3%), human bocavirus (hBoV) (8.0%), adenovirus (ADV) (5.8%), and human coronavirus (hCoV) (2.2%). Clinical diagnoses of viral ALRIs were bronchiolitis (37.5%), pneumonia (34.5%), asthma exacerbation (20.9%), and croup (7.1%). Clinical diagnoses of viral bronchiolitis and pneumonia were frequently demonstrated in patients who tested positive for RSV, hRV, hMPV, or Flu A. Flu A and hRV were most commonly identified in children older than 3 years and were the 2 leading causes of asthma exacerbation. hRV C was detected in 14 (4.3%) children, who were significantly older than those infected with hRV A ($mean{\pm}SD$, $4.1{\pm}3.5$ years vs. $1.7{\pm}2.3$ years; P =0.009). hBoV was usually detected in young children ($2.3{\pm}3.4$ years) with bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Conclusion : This study described the features of ALRI associated with 13 respiratory viruses in Korean children. Additional investigations are required to define the roles of newly identified viruses in children with ALRIs.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.211-221
• /
• 2024

Background: The public health crisis caused by coronavirus disease 2019 emphasizes the need to expand and strengthen public hospitals. However, the overall perception of public hospitals remains negative. This negative perception can hinder the roles and functions of public hospitals, so this study aims to analyze the factors affecting negative perceptions of public hospitals. Methods: We used data from a survey on the public healthcare of Chungcheongbuk-do residents conducted by the Chungcheongbuk-do Public Health Policy Institute, and 1,916 adults aged 19 or older who responded to the survey were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of experiences with public hospitals use and evaluations of public healthcare and public hospital policies on the negative perception of public hospitals. Results: The experience of not using public hospitals (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.74) and negative evaluations of public healthcare and public hospital policies were found to significantly impact negative perceptions of public hospitals. In public healthcare policies, negative evaluations of the provision of essential medical care (aOR, 4.14; 95% CI, 2.59-6.62), regional disparities (aOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.02-2.49), coverage (aOR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.25-3.16), and quality of care (aOR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.50-3.80) were significantly associated with negative perceptions of public hospitals. In public hospital policies, negative evaluations of facilities and equipment (aOR, 3.74, 95% CI, 2.36-5.94), medical specialties and services (aOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.21-3.01), and quality of medical service (aOR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.72-4.25) were also significantly associated with negative perceptions of public hospitals. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the need to improve perceptions of public hospitals by considering the experience with public hospitals use and evaluation of public healthcare and public hospital policies.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
• /
• v.67
• /
• pp.195-227
• /
• 2021

In a situation where it is difficult to plan face-to-face worship or assembly-type evangelism due to the continuation of the corona pandemic, it seems that evangelism is not a way to present the gospel, but to strengthen the gospel life. This is the era of evangelism as a spiritual care where the church can comfort those who are struggling and share the gospel naturally by accompanying them, and the time has come to set and practice various ministry directions that combine Christian education and counseling. At this time, this paper aims to analyze not only in the area of counseling, but also studies and papers on professional ministry through a convergence and complex approach between Christian education and counseling. This study focused on the papers on practical trials and cases. The research contents to be dealt with include the concept and understanding of counseling in Christian education, the application of counseling as various Christian education methods, and the development of programs necessary for the field. In addition, the purpose of this study is to analyze what kind of trend characteristics the subjects developed in advance show, what kind of trend characteristics research methodologies were used in the preceding studies, and what are the issues and tasks of Christian education and counseling based on the subject and method analysis. This study aims to analyze various influences on Korean society by meta-analyzing the discourse and issues of Christian education and counseling developed in the field of Christian education in Korea and suggest the convergence and direction of counseling in the field of Christian education in the future. First, many studies should be conducted to lay a systematic and clearer theoretical foundation for the convergence and complex approach of Christian education and counseling. Second, various studies on the understanding and psychological evaluation of learners based on psychology should be conducted. Finally, research on various counseling techniques should be conducted in Christian education counseling, and in particular, various studies on the application and practice of Christian education counseling using basic counseling theory should be conducted. The author also hope that studies on effectiveness verification based on utilization cases will be actively carried out to develop counseling programs that can help our neighbors who are struggling during the coronavirus era and provide direction for Christian education counseling.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
• /
• v.64
• /
• pp.289-321
• /
• 2020

Without overcoming the fragmented characteristics of the postmodern era and solving many difficulties as it is, our society is passing through a time of crisis more than ever because of Corona 19, a more rapid social disaster. As the crisis caused by the pandemic is prolonged, our society is becoming more diverse than before the coronavirus, and efforts in various fields of society are required to cultivate new capabilities to overcome social conflicts. This study started with an awareness of the necessity of reinforcing Christian civic education to fulfill the public responsibilities of Christians by recognizing the social and situational problems of this era as a public task amid in the crisis and change of the pendemic. Therefore, a meaningful work was undertaken to find an educational ministry practice frame for essential core competencies and transformative transformation competencies responding to changes in the times as education to cultivate and reinforce competencies as Christian citizens. First, the theoretical basis for competency education for Christian citizens was reviewed through the theological and Christian education theories that were studied in the situation of public theology about the public perception and social responsibility of Christians on the issues of the times. Furthermore, through this study, education to establish and cultivate the public identity of disciples-citizens as a Introductory education is explored in a multifaceted method of educational ministry, and educational methods were searched for cultivating communication competencies of Christian citizens with practical capacity of public faith. In conclusion, through this study, an educational ministry frame of identity cultivation, the core competency of recognizing the position of the public mission as a Christian citizen while living as a disciple of God's kingdom in the world and an educational frame to cultivate the ability to communicate as a transformative Christian citizen's transformative competency to carry out public tasks was systematically established, and an educational ministry convergence frame was proposed for cultivating core competencies and transformation competencies for Christian citizenship education.