• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제18권10호
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• pp.185-196
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• 2017

본 연구의 목적은 메르스 환자 간호에 대한 간호사의 실제적인 경험을 파악하기 위함이다. 본 연구에 참여한 대상자는 S시 1개 상급종합병원에서 메르스 환자 간호에 참여한 간호사 9명이며, 자료 수집을 위해 심층 면담이 수행되었다. 자료수집 기간은 2015년 8월부터 2016년 3월까지였다. 수집된 자료는 Colaizzi의 현상학적 방법에 따라 절차에 맞게 분석하였다. 도출된 5개의 범주는 다음과 같다. '1. 신종 감염병 전염 위험성에 따른 불안과 부담', '2. 메르스 환자 간호사라는 이유로 느끼는 사회적 고립', '3. 준비되지 않은 치료환경 문제에 부딪힘', '4. 힘겨운 메르스 환자 간호과정을 이겨냄', '5. 신종 감염병 대책 마련에 대해 성찰함'이었다. 이와 같은 결과는 메르스 환자를 포함한 다양한 감염병 환자를 담당하는 간호사의 부정적 영향 뿐 아니라, 긍정적인 경험을 도출했다는데 의의가 있다. 이를 바탕으로 심리사회적 부정적 영향을 감소시키고, 긍정적인 적응을 향상시키는데 근거로 활용될 수 있을 것이며, 간호사를 포함한 보건의료 종사자가 신종 감염병 환자를 간호하기 위한 인력, 부서 및 실무지침 마련이 필요하다고 생각된다.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2021

As the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is not decreasing, it is time for domestic companies to respond preemptively and in terms of business continuity. The purpose of this study is to present measures to strengthen BCP to prevent infectious diseases in the enterprise. In this work, three methods of data investigation are used. The first was to search for keywords in academic databases such as the National Assembly Library and the Korea Research and Information Service to investigate degree papers and academic papers. Second, we investigated literature such as research reports, manuals, and guidelines on infectious diseases. Finally, the researchers visited official websites such as KDCA, MOHW, and MOIS to collect and analyze recent data. BCP In view of the Board, a new risk analysis should be made and a disaster preparedness system tailored to the characteristics of the entity should be established. We need to analyze corporate weaknesses and focus on safety culture. It is also important to look at how customers choose their services and products. Based on this, differentiated service strategies should be presented. It is hoped that the results of this study can be used as basic data for companies that want to systematically manage and operate BCP to prevent infectious diseases.

• 대한보건연구
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.83-85
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• 2018

As the main aim of infectious disease epidemiology is to prevent a pathogen transmission, traditional epidemiological studies have focused on the evaluation of individual-level risk factors. But group-level factors as well as individual-level are important in understanding and controlling transmission of infectious diseases, especially sex-transmitted infectious diseases. Multi-level analysis (MLA) is known as a powerful analytical tool for investigating both levels simultaneously. While new cases of HIV/AIDS in Korea are increasing annually, it is urgently needed to establish research system for MLA led by Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제61권3호
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• pp.282-291
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• 2023

Despite the recent progress in public health measures, malaria remains a troublesome disease that needs to be eradicated. It is essential to develop new antimalarial medications that are reliable and secure. This report evaluated the pharmacokinetics and antimalarial activity of 1,2,6,7-tetraoxaspiro[7.11]nonadecane (N-89) using the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in vivo. After a single oral dose (75 mg /kg) of N-89, its pharmacokinetic parameters were measured, and t_1/2 was 0.97 h, T_max was 0.75 h, and bioavailability was 7.01%. A plasma concentration of 8.1 ng/ml of N-89 was maintained for 8 h but could not be detected at 10 h. The dose inhibiting 50% of parasite growth (ED₅₀) and ED₉₀ values of oral N-89 obtained following a 4-day suppressive test were 20 and 40 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the plasma concentration of N-89, we evaluated the antimalarial activity and cure effects of oral N-89 at a dose of 75 mg/kg 3 times daily for 3 consecutive days in mice harboring more than 0.5% parasitemia. In all the N-89-treated groups, the parasites were eliminated on day 5 post-treatment, and all mice recovered without a parasite recurrence for 30 days. Additionally, administering oral N-89 at a low dose of 50 mg/kg was sufficient to cure mice from day 6 without parasite recurrence. This work was the first to investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics and antimalarial activity of N-89 as an oral drug. In the future, the following steps should be focused on developing N-89 for malaria treatments; its administration schedule and metabolic pathways should be investigated.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.86-93
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• 2013

In the present study, we investigated if priming of autoreactive $CD8^+T$ cells would be inhibited by competitive peptides for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I binding. We used a mouse model of vitiligo which is induced by immunization of $K^b$-binding tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2)-180 peptide. Competitive peptides for $K^b$ binding inhibited IFN-${\gamma}$production and proliferation of TRP2-180-specific $CD8^+T$ cells upon ex vivo peptide restimulation, while other MHC class I-binding peptides did not. In mice, the capability of inhibition was influenced by T-cell immunogenicity of the competitive peptides. The competitive peptide with a high T-cell immunogenicity efficiently inhibited priming of TRP2-180-specific $CD8^+T$ cells in vivo, whereas the competitive peptide with a low T-cell immunogenicity did not. Taken together, the inhibition of priming of autoreactive $CD8^+T$ cells depends on not only competition of peptides for MHC class I binding but also competitive peptide-specific $CD8^+T$ cells, suggesting that clonal expansion of autoreactive T cells would be affected by expansion of competitive peptide-specific T cells. This result provides new insights into the development of competitive peptides-based therapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.89-95
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• 2015

Johne's disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is one of the most widespread and economically important diseases in cattle. Current diagnostic methods are based on the detection of anti-MAP antibodies in serum or isolation of the causative agent. However, these techniques are often not applicable for cases of subclinical infection due to relatively low sensitivity. Therefore, finding new antigen candidates that strongly react with the host immune system had been attempted. To effectively detect infection during the subclinical stage, several antigen candidates were selected based on previous researches. Characteristics of the selected antigen candidates were analyzed using bioinformatics-based prediction tools. A total of nine antigens were selected (MAP0862, MAP3817c, MAP2077c, MAP0860c, MAP3954, MAP3155c, MAP1204, MAP1087, and MAP2963c) that have MAP-specific and/or high immune responses to infected animals. Using a transmembrane prediction tool, five of the nine antigen candidates were predicted to be membrane protein (MAP3817c, MAP3954, MAP3155c, MAP1087, and MAP1204). Some of the predicted protein structures identified using the I-TASSER server shared similarities with known proteins found in the Protein Data Bank database (MAP0862, MAP1204, and MAP2077c). In future studies, the characteristics and diagnostic efficiency of the selected antigen candidates will be evaluated.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.80-91
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to contribute to strengthening the response of local governments to the emergence of new infectious diseases by identifying the urban characteristics affecting their spread. To this end, the urban characteristics influencing the spread of infectious diseases were identified from previous studies. Moreover, the variations in the impact of urban characteristics that affected the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients was spatially analyzed using geographically weighted regression (GWR). The analysis indicated that the explanatory power of the GWR was approximately 12.4% higher than that of the ordinary least squares method. Moreover, the explanatory power of the model in the northern regions, such as Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon, was particularly high, indicating that the urban characteristics affecting the spread of COVID-19 vary by region. The results of this study can be used as a basis for suggesting the formulation of customized policies reflecting the characteristics of each local government rather than a uniform spread reduction policy.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.596-616
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• 2021

A global increase in fish consumption has led to a rapid expansion of aquaculture production, which has been linked to enhancing the spread of infectious diseases. Viral diseases can cause high mortality in many cultured fish species, posing a serious threat to the aquaculture industry. Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is one of the primary threats to aquacultured salmonid species, causing huge economic losses. Since the first report in cultured sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka during the 1950s in North America, IHNV has spread to other regions, including Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa by transportation of infected fish and eggs, causing disease and increasing mortality in a wide variety of salmonid species. Here, we review existing information relevant to IHNV: its phylogenetic characteristics, origin, infection history, virulence determinants, susceptible hosts, vectors, and vaccine development. This review also addresses a possible cross-species transmission of IHNV to a new host, olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, a cultured fish of economic importance in East Asian countries.

• Gut and Liver
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.641-647
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• 2018

Background/Aims: Helicobacter pylori eradication rates are decreasing because of increases in clarithromycin resistance. Thus, finding an easy and accurate method of detecting clarithromycin resistance is important. Methods: We evaluated 70 H. pylori isolates from Korean patients. Dual-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes were designed to detect resistance associated with point mutations in 23S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene domain V (A2142G, A2143G, and T2182C). Data were analyzed by probe-based fluorescence melting curve analysis based on probe-target dissociation temperatures and compared with Sanger sequencing. Results: Among 70 H. pylori isolates, 0, 16, and 58 isolates contained A2142G, A2143G, and T2182C mutations, respectively. PNA probe-based analysis exhibited 100.0% positive predictive values for A2142G and A2143G and a 98.3% positive predictive value for T2182C. PNA probe-based analysis results correlated with 98.6% of Sanger sequencing results (${\kappa}$-value=0.990; standard error, 0.010). Conclusions: H. pylori clarithromycin resistance can be easily and accurately assessed by dual-labeled PNA probe-based melting curve analysis if probes are used based on the appropriate resistance-related mutations. This method is fast, simple, accurate, and adaptable for clinical samples. It may help clinicians choose a precise eradication regimen.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.172-182
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• 2022

Background: The coronavirus problem is an ecological problem stemming from a sudden change in the relationship between parasites and hosts. Ecologists judge organisms that are established out of their original territory as exotic species. Unlike in their original habitat, these exotic species become very aggressive in their newly settled habitat. Coronavirus infection damage was bigger in Europe or the United States than that in the country of its origin, China, and its neighboring countries. Therefore, coronavirus infection damage resembles the damage due to the invasive species. Results: Exotic species are found in places with similar environmental conditions to those of their origin when introduced to other ecological regions. However, there are few ecological ill effects in their place of origin, while the damage is usually severe in the ecological regions in which it is introduced. According to historical records, exotic infectious diseases, such as European smallpox and measles, also showed a similar trend and caused great damage in newly established places. Therefore, it is expected that measures to manage exotic species could be used for the prevention of exotic infectious diseases such as the coronavirus. Conclusions: Prevention comes first in the management of exotic species, and in order to come up with preventive measures, it is important to collect information on the characteristics of related organisms and their preferred environment. In this respect, ecosystem management measures such as exotic species management measures could be used as a reference to prevent and suppress the spread. To put these measures into practice, it is urgently required to establish an international integrated information network for collecting and exchanging information between regions and countries. Furthermore, a systematic ecosystem-management strategy in which natural and human environments could continue sustainable lives in their respective locations may serve as a countermeasure to prevent infectious diseases.