• Clinical Endoscopy
• /
• 제55권2호
• /
• pp.215-225
• /
• 2022

Background/Aims: The Thai Association for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy published recommendations on safe endoscopy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to assess the practicality and applicability of the recommendations and the perceptions of endoscopy personnel on them. Methods: A validated questionnaire was sent to 1290 endoscopy personnel globally. Of these, the data of all 330 responders (25.6%) from 15 countries, related to the current recommendations on proper personal protective equipment (PPE), case selection, scope cleaning, and safety perception, were analyzed. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine the relationships between the variables. Results: Despite an overwhelming agreement with the recommendations on PPE (94.5%) and case selection (95.5%), their practicality and applicability on PPE recommendations and case selection were significantly lower (p=0.001, p=0.047, p<0.001, and p=0.032, respectively). Factors that were associated with lower sense of safety in endoscopy units were younger age (p=0.004), less working experience (p=0.008), in-training status (p=0.04), and higher national prevalence of COVID-19 (p=0.003). High prevalent countries also had more difficulty implementing the guidelines (p<0.001) and they considered the PPE recommendations less practical and showed lower agreement with them (p<0.001 and p=0.008, respectively). A higher number of in-hospital COVID-19 patients was associated with less agreement with PPE recommendations (p=0.039). Conclusions: Using appropriate PPE and case selection in endoscopic practice during a pandemic remains a challenge. Resource availability and local prevalence are critical factors influencing the adoption of the current guidelines.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제29권3호
• /
• pp.273-281
• /
• 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Signaling pathways that are essential for virus production have potential as therapeutic targets against COVID-19. In this study, we investigated cellular responses in two cell lines, Vero and Calu-3, upon SARS-CoV-2 infection and evaluated the effects of pathway-specific inhibitors on virus production. SARS-CoV-2 infection induced dephosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3, high virus production, and apoptosis in Vero cells. However, in Calu-3 cells, SARS-CoV-2 infection induced long-lasting phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3, low virus production, and no prominent apoptosis. Inhibitors that target STAT3 phosphorylation and dimerization reduced SARS-CoV-2 production in Calu-3 cells, but not in Vero cells. These results suggest a necessity to evaluate cellular consequences upon SARS-CoV-2 infection using various model cell lines to find out more appropriate cells recapitulating relevant responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro.

• 보건행정학회지
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.479-490
• /
• 2021

Background: Conflict in the medical world in 2020 led to the rejection of the national examination for doctors. This study explained the process until the end of the national test refusal situation triggered in 2020 through the signaling game theory. The government has succeeded in requiring medical students to take the national exam. Methods: To explain the rejection of the national examination, we first compose and show an example of two small non-signaling games where medical students know which type the government is of, then combine them to play a signaling game. Results: The behavior of the government and medical students was examined through the signaling game model. In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the government makes an ultimatum, whatever the type. And the medical students accept it. They judged that the government could not be expected to abolish the policy. If COVID-19 had not occurred, medical students would have been able to continue the confrontation. Conclusion: The government instilled in the other party the perception that the government would not bend its policies because it was the surly type and would not be afraid of a strong confrontation. Through the image created in this way, the government was forced to accept the ultimatum by medical students. Academically, this study is to deal with the policy-making process through the signaling game theory. In the area of health care policy, this study suggests that various situations such as the type of government or the spread of COVID-19 can become important in addition to the rationality of the policy itself.

• 한국수학교육학회지시리즈E:수학교육논문집
• /
• 제34권4호
• /
• pp.421-437
• /
• 2020

신종 코로나바이러스(COVID-19)로 인한 비대면(Untact, 비접촉) 대학수학교육에서 적절하고 공정한 평가에 대한 문제가 제기되고 있다. 이를 위해 본 연구진은 2020년 여름 S대학에서 진행한 도전학기에서 '인공지능을 위한 기초수학' 강좌를 운영하면서 평가의 공정성을 보장하면서도 교육의 양과 질을 향상시킬 수 있도록, 온라인과 오프라인 평가를 혼용한 과정중심 PBL(Problem/Project-Based Learning, 문제/프로젝트 기반학습) 평가를 전면적으로 도입하였다. 그 결과, 해당 강좌를 수강한 대부분의 학생들이 예외 없이 관련 지식을 폭넓게 학습했음을 확인했으며, 학습자들로부터 언택트 시대에 보통의 온라인 강좌에 적용 가능한 이상적이고 공정하며, 합리적이고 동시에 효과적인 평가방법이라는 피드백을 받았다. 본 원고에서는 과정중심 PBL 평가 사례를 구체적으로 증빙과 함께 소개한다.

• 한국융합학회논문지
• /
• 제12권5호
• /
• pp.109-119
• /
• 2021

2019년 말 코로나 바이러스가 대유행하면서 대부분 대학이 갑작스럽게 비대면 수업을 진행하게 되었다. 갑작스럽게 비대면 교육을 진행한 대학들이 겪었던 어려움 중 하나는 교육의 질 관리에 관한 것이었는데, 본 연구에서는 비대면 교육 환경에서 교육의 질을 측정하기 위하여 사용된 지표들이 어떻게 변하였는지 실태를 비교 분석하였다. 한동대학교에서 2020년 봄에 진행한 수업 적응도 및 만족도 결과들을 동일 교수자의 이전 자료들과 비교 분석하였으며, 수업유형이나 비대면 수업 방식에 따라 강의 적응도와 만족도에 어떠한 변화가 있었는지 분석하였다. 전체적으로는 수업적응도와 만족도 모두 이전보다 비슷하거나 약간 척도 값이 높아진 것으로 나타났으며, 실시간으로 수업을 진행한 강의가 강의 녹화 방식으로 진행한 강의에 비해서 모든 만족도 설문 문항 점수가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 수강 인원 및 교수자의 이전 온라인 강의 경험 유무에 따른 만족도의 변화는 크게 나타나지 않았다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제55권6호
• /
• pp.578-585
• /
• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to adapt the survey questionnaire designed by Moens et al. (2021) and determine the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the survey in a sample of the Saudi population experiencing teleworking. Methods: The questionnaire includes 2 sections. The first consists of 13 items measuring the impact of extended telework during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. The second section includes 6 items measuring the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on selfview of telework and digital meetings. The survey instrument was translated based on the guidelines for the cultural adaptation of self-administrated measures. Results: The reliability of the questionnaire responses was measured by Cronbach's alpha. The construct validity was checked through exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to further assess the factor structure. CFA revealed that the model had excellent fit (root mean square error of approximation, 0.00; comparative fit index, 1.0; Tucker-Lewis index, 1; standardized root mean squared residual, 0.0). Conclusions: The Arabic version of the teleworking questionnaire had high reliability and good validity in assessing experiences and perceptions toward teleworking. While the validated survey examined perceptions and experiences during COVID-19, its use can be extended to capture experiences and perceptions during different crises.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제44권2호
• /
• pp.207-215
• /
• 2023

This study reported a case of hot flashes in a patient after coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection. The patient in this case was hospitalized for eight days and improved after the administration of Korean medicine, mainly Yangkyuksanwha-tang. We evaluated the patient's subjective discomfort daily, and the patient kept a diary of hot flashes every day. After treatment, the degree and frequency of hot flashes were greatly improved and continued two weeks after discharge. In addition, the accompanying hyperhidrosis improved from Grade 2 to Grade 0. This study suggests that Korean medicine might be effective in combating the hot flashes of soyangin-type patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
• /
• 제12권3호
• /
• pp.209-215
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The delay in acceptance or refusal to get vaccinated despite the availability of services is called vaccine hesitancy. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan faced consistent barriers preventing the eradication of the disease in the country. Similarly with the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic mass vaccination drives were initiated to a vaccine hesitant population. The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence and reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Pakistani population. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted during July to September 2021 using a snowball sampling technique targeting the adult population of Pakistan. The modified version of the vaccine hesitancy questionnaire related to the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization Vaccine Hesitancy matrix was distributed online. Results: Out of 973 participants, 52.4% were immediately willing to take the vaccine and constituted the acceptance group whereas the remaining 47.6% who were still not sure formed the hesitant group. Support from leaders was found to be statistically significant for the difference between the hesitant and acceptance groups (p-value=0.027). Hesitant people were concerned about the effectiveness of the vaccine (60.9%) and potential side effects (57.9%) as it was not sufficiently tested prior to launch (44.7%). Age and education were significant factors affecting the acceptance of vaccination. The most trusted source of information regarding vaccination was health care workers (43.8%). Conclusion: A moderately high prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was reported in Pakistan. To overcome it, policymakers need to address the reasons for it. Leaders, celebrities, and healthcare workers can play an instrumental role in dispelling conspiracy theories regarding vaccines and making the vaccination drive a success.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• /
• 제35권
• /
• pp.29.1-29.10
• /
• 2023

Background: Lone workers are generally defined as individuals who work alone without supervision, including self-employed people. While lone workers are considered a vulnerable group in some countries, there is a lack of research on their health status in domestic studies. Globally, the number of lone workers has been increasing, and this trend has been further accelerated since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with the rise of remote work. Methods: The study analyzed data from 44,281 participants, excluding unpaid family workers, soldiers, and those with missing data. Lone workers were defined as individuals who reported having no colleagues with the same job at their current workplace. Self-rated health status was categorized as "good" or "poor." Results: This study found a statistically significant higher number of lone workers among women compare to men. The largest occupational category for lone workers was service and sales workers, followed by agriculture and fisheries workers. A majority of non-lone workers reported working 40 hours or less per week, while the majority of lone workers reported working 53 hours or more per week. In addition, lone workers had significantly poorer health status evaluations compared to non-lone workers (odds ratio: 1.297; 95% confidence interval: 1.165-1.444). Conclusions: Further research is needed to investigate the causal relationship between lone work and health, using data collected after the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• 제7권9호
• /
• pp.63-74
• /
• 2020

This study investigates the behavior of foreign investors in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) in the time of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as to whether trading is abnormal, what strategy is followed, whether herd behavior is present, and whether the actions destabilize the market. Foreign investors' trading behavior is measured by net buying volume divided by market capitalization, whereas the stock market behavior is measured by logged return on the SET index portfolio. The data are daily from Tuesday, August 28, 2018, to Monday, May 18, 2020. The study extends the conditional-regression model in an event-study framework and extracts the unobserved abnormal trading behavior using the Kalman filtering technique. It then applies vector autoregressions and impulse responses to test for the investors' chosen strategy, herd behavior, and market destabilization. The results show that foreign investors' abnormal trading volume is negative and significant. An analysis of the abnormal trading volume with stock returns reveals that foreign investors are not positive-feedback investors, but rather, they self-herd. Although foreign investors' abnormal trading does not destabilize the market, it induces stock-return volatility of a similar size to normal trade. The methodology is new; the findings are useful for researchers, local authorities, and investors.