• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권21호
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• pp.9271-9275
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• 2014

Background: Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease that affects more than 230 million people worldwide, according to conservative estimates. Some studies published from China and Japan reported that schistosomiasis is a risk factor for colorectal cancer in Asia where the infective species is S. japonicum. Hoqwever, there have been only few reports of prognosis of patients with schistosomal rectal cancer SRC. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze differences in prognosis between SRC and non-schistosomal rectal cancer(NSRC) with current treatments. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 30 patients with schistosomal rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic total mesorectal excision operation (TME) was performed. For each patient with schistosomal rectal cancer, a control group who underwent laparoscopic TME with non-schistosomal rectal cancer was matched for age, gender and tumor stage, resulting in 60 cases and controls. Results: Univariate analysis showed pathologic N stage (P=0.006) and pathologic TNM stage (P=0.047) statistically significantly correlated with disease-free survival (DFS). Pathologic N stage (P=0.014), pathologic TNM stage (P=0.002), and with/without schistosomiasis (P=0.026) were statistically significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). Schistosomiasis was the only independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The prognosis of patients with schistosomal rectal cancer is poorer than with non-schistosomal rectal cancer.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.246-249
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• 2017

Health-care workers are at risk of exposure to occupational infections with subsequent risk of contracting diseases, disability, and even death. A systematic collection of occupational disease data is useful for monitoring current trends in work situations and disease exposures; however, these data are usually limited due to under-reporting. The objective of this study was to review literature related to knowledge, risk perceptions, and practices regarding occupational exposures to infectious diseases in Malaysian health-care settings, in particular regarding blood-borne infections, universal precautions, use of personal protective equipment, and clinical waste management. The data are useful for determining improvements in knowledge and risk perceptions among health-care workers with developments of health policies and essential interventions for prevention and control of occupational diseases.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.245-253
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the experiences of hospice and palliative care (HPC) nurses at inpatient hospice centers in South Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: Data collection was conducted through individual interviews with 15 HPC nurses using face-to-face interviews, telephone calls, or Zoom videoconferencing. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: This study found that HPC nurses experienced practical and ethical dilemmas that reinforced the essential meaning and value of hospice and palliative care. The participants emphasized their practical roles related to compliance with infection prevention measures and their roles as rebuilders of hospice and palliative care. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that inpatient hospice centers must mitigate the practical and ethical dilemmas experienced by nurses, consider establishing explanation nursing units, and provide education to support nurses' highlighted roles during the pandemic. This study can be used to prepare inpatient hospice centers and the nurses that work there for future infectious disease outbreaks.

• 한국응급구조학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.47-59
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to survey coronavirus disease (COVID-19) related knowledge, preventive possibility, and preventive behaviors levels among college students and identify the correlation between these variables. Methods: An online survey was conducted among college students from October 25 to November 5, 2021. The data were analyzed by an independent t-test and Pearson's correlations. Results: A total of 344 college students participated. The correct answer rate for COVID-19 knowledge level was high, infection and preventive possibility levels were moderate, and the anxiety level was high. Infection possibility had a positive correlation with anxiety and preventive behaviors had a positive correlation with preventive possibility. Conclusion: The findings regarding COVID-19 perception can be used to develop appropriate health policies for infectious disease prevention behaviors in educational fields.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.251-258
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• 2020

Purpose: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frequently used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children, but recent evidence suggests a potential association between PPI treatment and some types of infections. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for the prevention of gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in children with GERD treated with PPI (omeprazol). Methods: Children younger than 5 years with GERD were assigned by a computer-generated list to receive LGG (10⁹ colony-forming units) or placebo, twice daily, concomitantly with PPI treatment for 4-6 weeks; they were followed up for 12 weeks after therapy. The primary outcome measures were the percentage of children with a minimum of one episode of respiratory tract infection and the percentage of children with a minimum of one episode of gastrointestinal infection during the study. Results: Of 61 randomized children, 59 patients (LGG n=30; placebo n=29, mean age 11.3 months) were analyzed. There was no significant difference found between the LGG and placebo groups, either for the proportion of children with at least one respiratory tract infection (22/30 vs. 25/29, respectively; relative risk [RR] 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-1.10) or for the proportion of children with at least one gastrointestinal infection (9/30 vs. 9/29, respectively; RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.45-2.09). Conclusion: LGG was not effective in the prevention of infectious complications in children with GERD receiving PPI. Caution is needed in interpreting these results, as the study was terminated early due to slow subject recruitment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.520-528
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• 2021

Plesiomonas shigelloides, a member of the family Vibrionaceae, is a gram-negative, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium with flagella. P. shigelloides has been isolated from such sources as freshwater, surface water, and many wild and domestic animals. P. shigelloides contains 102 O-antigens and 51 H-antigens. The diversity of O-antigen gene clusters is relatively poorly understood. In addition to O1 and O17 reported by other laboratories, and the 12 O serogroups (O2, O10, O12, O23, O25, O26, O32, O33, O34, O66, O75, and O76) reported previously by us, in the present study, nine new P. shigelloides serogroups (O8, O17, O18, O37, O38, O39, O44, O45, and O61) were sequenced and annotated. The genes for the O-antigens of these nine groups are clustered together in the chromosome between rep and aqpZ. Only O38 possesses the wzm and wzt genes for the synthesis and translocation of O-antigens via the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter pathway; the other eight use the Wzx/Wzy pathway. Phylogenetic analysis using wzx and wzy showed that both genes are diversified. Among the nine new P. shigelloides serogroups, eight use wzx/wzy genes as targets. In addition, we developed an O-antigen-specific PCR assay to detect these nine distinct serogroups with no cross reactions among them.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.341-349
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• 2018

The infection status of Centrocestus armatus metacercariae (CaMc) was broadly surveyed in freshwater fishes from major river systems in the Republic of Korea (Korea) during 2008-2017. A total of 14,977 fishes was caught and examined by the artificial digestion method. CaMc were detected in 3,818 (97.1%) (2,114 Z. platypus: 96.1% and 1,704 Z. temminckii: 98.4%) out of 3,932 Zacco spp. examined and their density was 1,867 (2,109 in Z. platypus and 1,567 in Z. temminckii) per fish infected. The prevalences with CaMc were high, 93.7-100%, in Zacco spp. from all surveyed areas. However, their densities were more or less different by the surveyed areas and fish species. They were most high in Nakdong-gang in Gyeongsangnam-do (4,201 in average), and followed by Geum-gang (2,343), Nakdong-gang in Gyeongsangbuk-do (1,623), Han-gang (1,564), Tamjin-gang and Yeongsan-gang (1,540), streams in the east coast (1,028), Seomjin-gang (488) and Mangyeong-gang (170). In another species of rasborinid fish, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, CaMc were detected in 222 (74.8%) out of 297 ones examined and their density was 278 (1-4,480) per fish infected. CaMc were also detected in total 41 fish species except for the rasborinid fish, Z. platypus, Z. temminckii and O. uncirostris amurensis. Conclusively, it was confirmed that among the 3 species of rasborinid fish, Z. platypus and Z. temminckii are highly prevalent and O. uncirostris amurensis is moderately prevalent with CaMc. Additionally, we could know that variety of fish species act as the second intermediate hosts of C. armatus in Korea.

• 산업융합연구
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.175-185
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• 2023

최근 COVID-19와 같은 신종 바이러스 감염증이 확산하여 심각한 공중 보건 문제를 제기하고 있다. 특히 이러한 질병은 고령자에게 치명적으로 작용하여, 생명을 위협하고 심각한 사회적, 경제적 손실을 초래하였다. 이에 많은 산업분야에서 사물 인터넷(IoT) 및 인공 지능(AI)을 응용한 원격진료, 헬스케어, 질병예방 등의 애플리케이션이 소개되어 질병 감지, 모니터링 및 검역 성능을 향상하고 있다. 하지만 기존기술은 갑작스러운 전염병의 출현에 신속하고 통합적으로 적용되지 않기 때문에, 사회 속에 감염병이 대규모 감염 및 전국적 확산되는 것을 차단하지 못하였다. 따라서 본 논문에서는 바이러스 질병 정보 수집기를 통해 지역적 한계가 있는 다양한 감염 정보를 수집하고, AI 브로커를 통해 AI 분석 및 심각도 매칭을 수행하여 감염의 확산을 예측하고자 한다. 최종에는 질병관리본부를 통해 고령자에게 위험경보 발령, 확산 차단 문자 발송 및 감염지역 대피정보를 신속하게 제공한다. 현실적인 고령자 지원시스템은 감염자 발생지역 정보와 고령자의 위치정보를 비교하여 증강현실 기반의 스마트폰 애플리케이션으로 직관적인 위험지역(감염지역) 회피기능을 제공하고 감염지역 방문이 확인되면 자동으로 방역관리 서비스를 제공한다. 향후 제안시스템은 위치기반의 사용자 밀집도를 파악함으로써 갑작스런 인파 집중으로 인한 압사 사고를 사전에 예방하는 방법으로도 활용 가능할 것이다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.469-478
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• 2020

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) propagation is highly dependent on cellular proteins. To identify the host factors involved in HCV propagation, we previously performed protein microarray assays and identified the LIM and SH3 domain protein 1 (LASP-1) as an HCV NS5A-interacting partner. LASP-1 plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, migration, and protein-protein interactions. Alteration of LASP-1 expression has been implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the functional involvement of LASP-1 in HCV propagation and HCV-induced pathogenesis has not been elucidated. Here, we first verified the protein interaction of NS5A and LASP-1 by both in vitro pulldown and coimmunoprecipitation assays. We further showed that NS5A and LASP-1 were colocalized in the cytoplasm of HCV infected cells. NS5A interacted with LASP-1 through the proline motif in domain I of NS5A and the tryptophan residue in the SH3 domain of LASP-1. Knockdown of LASP1 increased HCV replication in both HCV-infected cells and HCV subgenomic replicon cells. LASP-1 negatively regulated viral propagation and thereby overexpression of LASP-1 decreased HCV replication. Moreover, HCV propagation was decreased by wild-type LASP-1 but not by an NS5A binding-defective mutant of LASP-1. We further demonstrated that LASP-1 was involved in the replication stage of the HCV life cycle. Importantly, LASP-1 expression levels were increased in persistently infected cells with HCV. These data suggest that HCV modulates LASP-1 via NS5A in order to regulate virion levels and maintain a persistent infection.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.49-55
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• 2010

목 적 : 서울 지역의 급성 호흡기 감염의 원인이 되는 바이러스를 분석하고 임상적 특징과 비교, 분석하였다. 방 법: 2008년 9월부터 2009년 3월까지 3개 대학병원에 입원한 5세 미만의 소아의 급성하기도감염환자에서 418개의 비인두흡입검체를 채취하여, 14종 바이러스를 multiplex PCR을 통한 진단하였다. 바이러스 양성환자의 임상정보를 병원별, 시기별로 분석하였다. 결 과: 418명이 분석되었고, 연령은 평균 16.4개월, 성별비는 1.36대 1이었다. 환자들 중 56.2%에서 바이러스 양성을 보였고, RSV (35%)가 가장 많이 검출된 바이러스였으며, 다음은 hRV (22%)였으며, HBoV, ADV, hMPV, PIV1, IFV, hCoV, PIV2, PIV3가 검출되었다. 양성검체 중 21.9%에서 동시감염이 있었다. 결 론:바이러스의 지역별, 시기별 지속적인 감시가 필요하며, 급성호흡기질환을 보이는 소아의 진료에, 유행하는 바이러스의 특징을 고려해야 할 것이다.