• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.25.1-25.17
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• 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine release and cell death, leading to organ damage and mortality. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is one of the damage-associated molecular patterns that can be secreted by pro-inflammatory stimuli, including viral infections, and its excessive secretion levels are related to a variety of inflammatory diseases. Here, the aim of the study was to show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induced HMGB1 secretion via active and passive release. Active HMGB1 secretion was mediated by post-translational modifications, such as acetylation, phosphorylation, and oxidation in HEK293E/ACE2-C-GFP and Calu-3 cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Passive release of HMGB1 has been linked to various types of cell death; however, we demonstrated for the first time that PANoptosis, which integrates other cell death pathways, including pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, is related to passive HMGB1 release during SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, cytoplasmic translocation and extracellular secretion or release of HMGB1 were confirmed via immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence in the lung tissues of humans and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-overexpressing mice infected with SARS-CoV-2.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2023

This systematic and meta-analysis aims to evaluate humoral and cellular responses to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). We conducted a systematic literature search across databases to evaluate seroconversion and cellular response rates in KTRs receiving SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We extracted studies that assessed seroconversion rates described as the presence of antibody de novo positivity in KTRs following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination published up to January 23rd, 2022. We also performed meta-regression based on immunosuppression therapy used. A total of 44 studies involving 5,892 KTRs were included in this meta-analysis. The overall seroconversion rate following complete dose of vaccines was 39.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.3%-45.3%) and cellular response rate was 41.6% (95% CI, 30.0%-53.6%). Meta-regression revealed that low antibody response rate was significantly associated with the high prevalence of mycophenolate mofetil/mycophenolic acid (p=0.04), belatacept (p=0.02), and antiCD25 induction therapy uses (p=0.04). Conversely, tacrolimus use was associated with higher antibody response (p=0.01). This meta-analysis suggests that postvaccination seroconversion and cellular response rates in KTRs are still low. And seroconversion rate was correlated with the type of immunosuppressive agent and induction therapy used. Additional doses of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for this population using a different type of vaccine are considered.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.77-87
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• 2009

Potential risks of communicable disease outbreaks have significantly increased in the era of global society. However, contingency planning of local governments for communicable diseases is not prepared to the proper level in various governmental sectors of many countries. Human being has been remarkable advances in medical science and public health. However, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) still remains as a very dangerous transmissible disease that has great potential to create catastrophic consequences of casualties. The SARS outbreak between November 2002 and July 2003 resulted in 8,096 known infected cases and 774 deaths with a mortality rate of 9.6% worldwide (WHO, 2004). It is regarded as one of the human health disasters. Since about sixty-six percent of total SARS cases in the world were reported in People's Republic of China, Korean tour industry was significantly affected as a neighboring country. The objective of this research is to investigate major factors of Korea entry data sets, and to analyze economic impacts of Korean tour business interruption due to the period of SARS outbreak with tourist cases of four countries: Japan, U.S.A., China, and Taiwan. Results from this research show the seasonal and long-term trends of entry data sets of four countries, and direct and indirect impacts of SARS to Korean tour industry.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.38.1-38.8
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• 2021

Recently, a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (B.1.1.529) Omicron variant originated from South Africa in the middle of November 2021. SARS-CoV-2 is also called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19. Several studies already suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant would be the fastest transmissible variant compared to the previous 10 SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, interest, and alert. Few clinical studies reported the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant but there is insufficient time to perform actual experiments to prove it, since the spread is so fast. We analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which revealed a very high rate of mutation at amino acid residues that interact with angiostatin-converting enzyme 2. The mutation rate of COVID-19 is faster than what we prepared vaccine program, antibody therapy, lockdown, and quarantine against COVID-19 so far. Thus, it is necessary to find better strategies to overcome the current crisis of COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Science & Technology
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• no.5 s.408
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• pp.30-35
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• 2003

공포의 괴질로 불리는 SARS 파문이 수그러들 줄 모르고 전 세계적으로 계속 확산되고 있다. 일부 과학자들은 "은둔해 수도승처럼 살지 않는 한 별 방법이 없다"고 말하는 등 일종의 패닉 현상까지 보이고 있다. 특히 증상이 전혀 없어 자신도 모르는 사이에 병원균을 퍼트리고 다니는 '증상없는 보균자'의 활동 여부는 또 다른 공포를 자아내고 있다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.3187-3188
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• 2013

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.91-101
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• 2021

This paper intends to draw implications for preparing for Post-Corona in the health field and policy fields as the global pandemic is experienced due to COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to analyze the news and trends of media companies through temporal analysis of the three infectious diseases, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), in which the domestic infectious disease preventive system was active throughout the first year of the outbreak. To this end, by using the news analysis program of the Korea Press Foundation 'Big Kinds', the number of news articles per year was digitized based on the period when each infectious disease had an impact on Korea, and major trends were implemented and analyzed in a word cloud. As a result of the analysis, the number of articles related to infectious diseases peaked when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a warning and (suspicious) confirmed cases occurred. According to keyword and word cloud analysis, 'infectious disease outbreak and major epidemic areas', 'prevention authorities', and 'disease information and confirmed patient information' were found to be the main common features, and differences were derived from the three infectious diseases. In addition, the current status of the infodemic was identified by performing word cloud analysis on information in uncertainty. The results of this study are significant in that they were able to derive the roles of the health authorities and the media that should be preceded in the event of a new disease epidemic through previously experienced infectious diseases, and areas to be rearranged.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.746-753
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• 2023

Viral infectious diseases have been regarded as one of the greatest threats to global public health. The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a stark reminder of the threat posed by emerging viral infections. Developing and producing appropriate and efficient vaccines and therapeutics are the only options to combat this pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for novel vaccine platforms to control and prevent emerging viral diseases. Conventional vaccine platforms, including live-attenuated vaccine and inactivated vaccines, pose limitations in the speed of vaccine development, manufacturing capacity, and broad protection for emergency use. Interestingly, vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate based on the mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform protected against COVID-19, confirming that the nucleoside-modified candidate is a safe and effective alternative to conventional vaccines. Moreover, the prophylactic strategies against the COVID-19 pandemic have been mRNA nucleic acid-based vaccines and nanoparticle-based platforms, which are effective against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Overall, the novel vaccine platform has presented advantages compared with the traditional vaccine platform in the COVID-19 pandemic. This review explores the recent advancements in vaccine technologies and platforms, focusing on mRNA vaccines, digital vaccines, and nanoparticles while considering their advantages and possible drawbacks.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.43.1-43.10
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• 2023

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has provided insights for updating current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. We examined the neutralizing activity of Abs induced by a BA.4/5-containing bivalent mRNA vaccine against Omicron subvariants BN.1 and XBB.1.5. We recruited 40 individuals who had received a monovalent COVID-19 booster dose after a primary series of COVID-19 vaccinations and will be vaccinated with a BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccine. Sera were collected before vaccination, one month after, and three months after a bivalent booster. Neutralizing Ab (nAb) titers were measured against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants BA.5, BN.1, and XBB.1.5. BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccination significantly boosted nAb levels against both ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants. Participants with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection had higher nAb titers against all examined strains than the infection-naïve group. NAb titers against BN.1 and XBB.1.5 were lower than those against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and BA.5 strains. These results suggest that COVID-19 vaccinations specifically targeting emerging Omicron subvariants, such as XBB.1.5, may be required to ensure better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in high-risk groups.

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