• ETRI Journal
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.290-306
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• 2024

To treat the novel COronaVIrus Disease (COVID), comparatively fewer medicines have been approved. Due to the global pandemic status of COVID, several medicines are being developed to treat patients. The modern COVID medicines development process has various challenges, including predicting and detecting hazardous COVID medicine responses. Moreover, correctly predicting harmful COVID medicine reactions is essential for health safety. Significant developments in computational models in medicine development can make it possible to identify adverse COVID medicine reactions. Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, there has been significant demand for developing COVID medicines. Therefore, this paper presents the transferlearning methodology and a multilabel convolutional neural network for COVID (MLCNN-COV) medicines development model to identify negative responses of COVID medicines. For analysis, a framework is proposed with five multilabel transfer-learning models, namely, MobileNetv2, ResNet50, VGG19, DenseNet201, and Inceptionv3, and an MLCNN-COV model is designed with an image augmentation (IA) technique and validated through experiments on the image of three-dimensional chemical conformer of 17 number of COVID medicines. The RGB color channel is utilized to represent the feature of the image, and image features are extracted by employing the Convolution2D and MaxPooling2D layer. The findings of the current MLCNN-COV are promising, and it can identify individual adverse reactions of medicines, with the accuracy ranging from 88.24% to 100%, which outperformed the transfer-learning model's performance. It shows that three-dimensional conformers adequately identify negative COVID medicine responses.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) not only targets the respiratory system but also triggers a cytokine storm and a series of complications, such as gastrointestinal problems, acute kidney injury, and myocardial ischemia. The use of natural products has been utilized to ease the symptoms of COVID-19, and in some cases, to strengthen the immune system against COVID-19. Natural products are readily available and have been regularly consumed for various health benefits. COVID-19 has been reported to be associated with the risk of thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis. These thrombotic complications often affects mortality and morbidity. Panax ginseng, which has been widely consumed for its various health benefits has also been reported for its therapeutic effects against cardiovascular disease, thrombosis and platelet aggregation. In this review, we propose that P. ginseng can be consumed as a supplementation against the various associated complications of COVID-19, especially against thrombosis. We utilized the network pharmacology approach to validate the potential therapeutic properties of P. ginseng against COVID-19 mediated thrombosis, the coagulation pathway and platelet aggregation. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the roles of P. ginseng against COVID-19 with the involvement of platelet-leukocyte aggregates in relation to immunity-related responses in COVID-19.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2024

In the context of the massive spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the development of a COVID-19 vaccine is urgently needed. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been widely applied across global populations. Herein, we report a case of acute interstitial nephritis with acute kidney injury in a young healthy subject after administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. A 20-year-old man was admitted with abdominal discomfort and nausea. He had received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 6 days before. At 9 days after vaccination, his kidney function was decreased, with serum creatinine levels of 1.8 mg/dL. Even with supportive care with hydration, his kidney function worsened, and he underwent a kidney biopsy. The pathology findings revealed diffuse interstitial infiltration of inflammatory cells, predominantly comprising lymphocytes, with preservation of the glomerulus. No abnormal findings were noted by immunofluorescence or electron microscopy. Based on a diagnosis of drug-related acute interstitial nephritis, we treated the patient with high-dose prednisolone. After administration of prednisolone, kidney function slowly improved. A close linkage between COVID-19 vaccination and acute interstitial nephritis should be considered in the clinic, despite the low incidence.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.221-229
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• 2021

Objectives: The Indonesian government issued large-scale social restrictions (called Pembatasan Sosial Berskala Besar, or PSBB) at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to control the spread of COVID-19 in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Greater Jakarta). Public compliance poses a challenge when implementing large-scale social restrictions, and various factors have contributed to public non-compliance with the regulation. This study aimed to determine the degree of non-compliance and identify the factors that contributed to public non-compliance with the PSBB in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia. Methods: This was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design. A total of 839 residents of Greater Jakarta participated in this study. Data were collected online using a Google Form, and convenience sampling was undertaken. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the relationships between public non-compliance with the PSBB regulation and socio-demographic variables, respondents' opinion of the PSBB, and social capital. Results: A total of 22.6% of subjects reported participating in activities that did not comply with the PSBB. The variables that most affected non-compliance with the PSBB were age, gender, income, opinion of the PSBB, and social capital. Conclusions: Strengthening social capital and providing information about COVID-19 prevention measures, such as washing one's hands with soap, wearing masks properly, and maintaining social distancing, is essential. Robust public understanding will foster trust and cooperation with regard to COVID-19 prevention efforts and provide a basis for mutual agreement regarding rules/penalties.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.304-316
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• 2022

Background: As prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission in healthcare settings has become a critical component in its effective management, COVID-19 specific infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines were developed and implemented by numerous countries. Although largely based on the current evidence-base, guidelines show much heterogeneity, as they are influenced by respective health system capacities, epidemiological risk, and socioeconomic status. This study aims to analyze the variations and concurrences of these guidelines to draw policy implications for COVID-19 response and future guidelines development. Methods: The contents of the COVID-19 IPC guidelines were analyzed using the categories and codes developed based on "World Health Organization guidelines on core components." Data analysis involved reviewing, appraising and synthesizing data from guidelines, which were then arranged into categories and codes. Selection of countries was based on the country income level, availability of COVID-19 specific IPC guideline developed at a national or district level. Results: The guidelines particularly agreed on IPC measures regarding application of standard precautions and providing information to patients and visitors, monitoring and audit of IPC activities and staff illnesses, and management of built environment/equipments. The guidelines showed considerable differences in certain components, such as workplace safety measures and criteria for discontinuation of precautions. Several guidelines also contained unique features which enabled a more systematic response to COVID-19. Conclusion: The guidelines generally complied with the current evidence-based COVID-19 management but also revealed variances stemming from differences in local health system capacity. Several unique features should be considered for benchmark in future guidelines development.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.25-35
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• 2022

Objectives : This study aims to analyze the patents filed in the clinical diagnosis sector where technologies have been actively developed since the advent of the 4th industrial revolution. Methods : The analysis has been conducted in two ways - the period from 2016 to 2021 and the time points before and after COVID-19 - by visualizing based on the word cloud method. Results : Over two thirds of patents has been filed in the A61B sector (71.8%) and cure, sensor, self diagnosis, control, and breakdown have been observed in the period above. During the overall period (2016~2021), 'ultrasound'(7.5%), 'image'(5.1%), 'skin'(4.0%), 'treatment'(3.4%), and 'artificial intelligence(2.5%)' were the frequently patent applications technologies. In addition, 'ultrasound'(6.2%), 'image'(5.5%), 'skin'(4.0%), 'treatment' (3.7%), and 'portable'(1.7%) appeared most frequently before COVID-19 whereas 'ultrasound(5.5%)', 'artificial intelligence(4.2%)', 'diagnostic device'(1.9%), 'dimentia'(1.6%), and 'diagnostic kit'(1.4%) emerged the most after COVID-19. Conclusion : This study is meaningful in that it showed the technological development trend in the digital diagnosis sector and it was found that the Korean medicine field should contribute to this field more actively in the future.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.25-39
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• 2022

Perceptions of Library and Information (LI) professionals in Nigeria and the impact of COVID-19 on libraries, librarians and library services, were studied. The significance of demographic factors on LI professionals' perception of COVID-19 and its impact on libraries was tested. Descriptive survey design and Purpose sampling technique were adopted. LIS professionals in Nigeria constituted the population, and an online questionnaire designed by the researchers through Microsoft Forms was used. Descriptive analysis of respondents' demographic data and their covid-19 perception were presented in frequencies and percentages using tables while multivariate regression technique was used to test the significance of relationship between variables at P < 0.05. Findings revealed that many (61.4%) of the respondents agreed that COVID-19 is real but have personal reservations. However, 47.5% indicated that COVID-19 is a scientific invention. On the impacts of COVID-19 on libraries, the study found that COVID-19 is a game changer that will enhance the creation of new services by libraries, cause the reconfiguration of library space for safe operations in post-COVID, establishment of new rules and regulations, and more reliance on e-resources. On the test of association, educational qualification of respondents had a significant impact on respondents' perceptions that COVID-19 will reduce the use of library print resources (P-value = 0.005, B: 0.38, [95% CI: 0.115 - 0.646]) and that library will create new services to address the changes caused by COVID-19. Also, educational qualification of respondents significantly influenced respondents' perception that COVID-19 is real. The study recommends that libraries should take advantage of the season to innovate, and that public health institutions should continually educate people on corona virus to disabuse people's mind of conspiracy theories.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2022

More than 2 years after the explosion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, extensive efforts have been made to develop safe and efficacious vaccines against infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The pandemic has opened a new era of vaccine development based on next-generation platforms, including messenger RNA (mRNA)-based technologies, and paved the way for the future of mRNA-based therapeutics to provide protection against a wide range of infectious diseases. Multiple vaccines have been developed at an unprecedented pace to protect against COVID-19 worldwide. However, important knowledge gaps remain to be addressed, especially in terms of how vaccines induce immunogenicity and efficacy in those who are elderly. Here, we discuss the various vaccine platforms that have been utilized to combat COVID-19 and emphasize how these platforms can be a powerful tool to react quickly to future pandemics.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.465-471
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• 2022

Understanding and monitoring virus-mediated infections has gained importance since the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Studies of high-throughput omics-based immune profiling of COVID-19 patients can help manage the current pandemic and future virus-mediated pandemics. Although COVID-19 is being studied since past 2 years, detailed mechanisms of the initial induction of dynamic immune responses or the molecular mechanisms that characterize disease progression remains unclear. This study involved comprehensively collected biospecimens and longitudinal multi-omics data of 300 COVID-19 patients and 120 healthy controls, including whole genome sequencing (WGS), single-cell RNA sequencing combined with T cell receptor (TCR) and B cell receptor (BCR) sequencing (scRNA(+scTCR/BCR)-seq), bulk BCR and TCR sequencing (bulk TCR/BCR-seq), and cytokine profiling. Clinical data were also collected from hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and HLA typing, laboratory characteristics, and COVID-19 viral genome sequencing were performed during the initial diagnosis. The entire set of biospecimens and multi-omics data generated in this project can be accessed by researchers from the National Biobank of Korea with prior approval. This distribution of large-scale multi-omics data of COVID-19 patients can facilitate the understanding of biological crosstalk involved in COVID-19 infection and contribute to the development of potential methodologies for its diagnosis and treatment.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2021

Low-dose radiotherapy has been known to have anti-inflammatory activity and been used for treatment of pneumonia together with anti-serum and sulfanilamide. However, it rapidly discontinued after the development of various antibiotics showing outstanding effect. Recently, it was re-considered to treat COVID-19 which has very limited treatment such as remdesivir and dexamethasone. So, several studies of COVID-19 therapy using low-dose radiation were reported very recently. They showed that low-dose radiation of 0.5~1.5 Gy were useful for decreasing the oxygen consumption and hospitalization period of COVID-19 patients without adverse reaction. Radiopharmaceuticals such as [⁹⁹mTc]Tc-macroaggregated albumin (MAA) also might be used for low-dose radiotherapy. Administration of vitamin D having anti-inflammatory effect would also be helpful for therapy with synergistic effect.