• 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.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.5-22
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• 2016

MERS(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), an acute and infectious viral disease with high fatality sneaked in South Korea in May 2016. Although MERS is officially declared to be exterminated in Korea by the date of December 24, it aroused a great panic throughout the country and remained many tasks requiring sincere deliberations and innovative actions. This study starts to summarize all that had been happening during first 7 months since last May, reconsider the whole process in light of disaster paradigm, analyze the causes and tasks of such turmoil under the framework of social medicine. It is wrapped up with the visions and prospect of the social medicine, an interdisciplinary approach that takes into account the expert knowledge of academia, administrative knowledge of government, media knowledge from traditional/new media and lay knowledge of civil society.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.201-209
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• 2023

This study investigated to provide basic data for infection control education on new infectious diseases by confirming the level of knowledge, training status, stress, and need for training on new infectious diseases for 119 emergency medical technicians (EMT). This data collection period was a total of 39 days from August 10 to September 18, 2022, and a total of 105 copies were collected. The analysis of this study used the SPSS 25.0 program. As a result of the study, among the 119 paramedics, the gender of the EMT was 54 men (51.4%) and 51 women (48.6%), with more men than women, with 47 people in their 20s (44.8%) and those in their 30s or older. There were 58 people (55.2%), most of whom were in their 30s or older. The highest total work experience was 3 to 5 years (37 people (35.2%)). In the pandemic situation, an attempt was made to check the education status of 119 paramedics on COVID-19 and the need for education on new infectious diseases. As a result of the study, the status of education on COVID-19 was insufficient. The demand for education on new infectious diseases was found to be high. Among 119 emergency responders who are frequently exposed to new infectious diseases, theoretical and practical training in personal protective equipment, stress, including theoretical training, is needed. A theoretical and practical education program on new infectious diseases and personal protective equipment should be developed as a subject for college students before becoming EMT.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.459-469
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• 2018

Plants and microorganisms (microbes) use information from chemicals such as volatile compounds to understand their environments. Proficiency in sensing and responding to these infochemicals increases an organism's ecological competence and ability to survive in competitive environments, particularly with regard to plant-pathogen interactions. Plants and microbes acquired the ability to sense and respond to biogenic volatiles during their evolutionary history. However, these signals can only be interpreted by humans through the use of state-of the-art technologies. Newly-developed tools allow microbe-induced plant volatiles to be detected in a rapid, precise, and non-invasive manner to diagnose plant diseases. Beside disease diagnosis, volatile compounds may also be valuable in improving crop productivity in sustainable agriculture. Bacterial volatile compounds (BVCs) have potential for use as a novel plant growth stimulant or as improver of fertilizer efficiency. BVCs can also elicit plant innate immunity against insect pests and microbial pathogens. Research is needed to expand our knowledge of BVCs and to produce BVC-based formulations that can be used practically in the field. Formulation possibilities include encapsulation and sol-gel matrices, which can be used in attract and kill formulations, chemigation, and seed priming. Exploitation of biogenic volatiles will facilitate the development of smart integrated plant management systems for disease control and productivity improvement.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate recent trends in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and analyze the results for the activation of COVID-19 Korean medicine research. Methods: We searched for RCTs published from December 2019 to October 2021 in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI). The investigation focused on the type of study, the purpose of the study, and the treatment methods. Results: A total of 8 RCTs were selected and analyzed from the 447 searched studies. All studies attempted to observe the effects of herbal medicine. Herbal medicine included granules, decoctions, and intravenous injections. The most frequently used herb type was drugs for clearing away heat and detoxification and releasing the exterior syndrome. In most studies, the effectiveness of TCM treatment of COVID-19 was significantly high. Conclusions: Although more quality studies are needed to support these results, TCM treatment for COVID-19 has been effective. Therefore, we hope that Korean medicine studies on infectious diseases will be actively conducted like TCM and contribute to national health.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.87-98
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• 2020

This study was conducted to identify anxiety, knowledge, possibility of infection, possibility of prevention and performance level for infection prevention among the general public according to the spread of COVID-19. Data were collected from 208 adults in their 20s and 50s from April 6th to 10th in 2020 using questionnaire. Characteristics relative to variables were measured, and analyzed using SPSS 23.0 program for technical statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and correlation. The anxiety level differed according to gender, age, marital status, and live-in partner. The Knowledge score was significantly different according to age and marital status. Possibility of infection was significantly different according to age and residential area. Performance level for infection prevention was significantly different according to gender, age, marital status, and live-in partner. However, preventive possibility was not significantly different regardless of characteristics. These findings may have implications for establishing policies that work well in preventing infectious disease. It is necessary to conduct further research comparing responses of subjects by the stages of infectious disease outbreaks. Further extended studies that include more regions and larger sample sizes are required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitude and preventive behaviors of middle school students and to investigate socio-demographic and health-related factors. Methods: 198 male and 188 female middle school students in M city were recruited for the survey. Independent sample t-test, One-way ANOVA and $Scheff{\acute{e}}^{\prime}s$ test and Pearson's correlation were performed to examine factors associated with tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitude and preventive behaviors. Results: The percentage of correct answers to questions testing tuberculosis-related knowledge was very low, 33%. The mean scores of attitude and preventive behaviors were 3.02 and 2.90 out of 4 (highest score), respectively. Middle school students who had experiences of health education or tuberculosis-related education showed significantly higher scores than their counterparts in all factors - knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors. Parental education, academic achievement, smoking, sleeping time, infectious disease education, and source of tuberculosis information were associated with knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors. Knowledge about tuberculosis had a positive correlation with attitude and preventive behaviors. Conclusion: The level of tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors was very low among middle school students. In addition, school health education was highly related to a higher level of knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors regarding tuberculosis. Therefore, to intensify students' preventive behaviors against tuberculosis and other infection diseases, sustainable school health education should be provided for middle school students who are at risk of developing tuberculosis.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.73-80
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• 2021

This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study to confirm the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practice behaviors of university students concerning COVID-19 and to identify the factors that influence preventive practice behaviors. The number of study subjects was calculated using G*power program 3.19. The data collected from the study were analyzed using SPSS/WIN version 25. The subject's characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices against COVID-19 were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and the difference in knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices against COVID-19 according to the subject's characteristics was evaluated using an independent t-test, ANOVA, and post-hoc test was conducted using a Scheffé test. Correlations of knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices against COVID-19 were analyzed using Pearson Correlation coefficients, and factors affecting COVID-19 prevention practices were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. The number of subjects analyzed in the study was 232. The general characteristics of the study subjects were 78 males (33.7 %) and 154 females (66.3 %). The subject's knowledge score about COVID-19 was 85.13±6.22 out of 100 points, and the attitude score toward COVID-19 was 12.47±1.31 out of 14 points. The prevention practice score for COVID-19 was 29.36±3.42 out of 32 points. As a result of the study, knowledge about COVID-19 was found to have a significant positive correlation with attitude (r=.34, p<.001); COVID-19 prevention practice behavior was found to have a significant positive correlation with knowledge (r=.54, p<.001), and attitude (r=.62, p<.001). The main factors influencing the COVID-19 prevention practice behavior were knowledge, attitude, and major (Cosmetology major).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.681-698
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• 2022

The Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, common carp Cyprinus carpio, grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella and rohu carp Labeo rohita are farmed commercially worldwide. Production of these important finfishes is rapidly expanding, and intensive culture practices can lead to stress in fish, often reducing resistance to infectious diseases. Antibiotics and other drugs are routinely used for the treatment of diseases and sometimes applied preventatively to combat microbial pathogens. This strategy is responsible for the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, mass killing of environmental/beneficial bacteria, and residual effects in humans. As an alternative, the administration of probiotics has gained acceptance for disease control in aquaculture. Probiotics have been found to improve growth, feed utilization, immunological status, disease resistance, and to promote transcriptomic profiles and internal microbial balance of host organisms. The present review discusses the effects of single and multi-strain probiotics on growth, immunity, heamato-biochemical parameters, and disease resistance of the above-mentioned finfishes. The application and outcome of probiotics in the field or open pond system, gaps in existing knowledge, and issues worthy of further research are also highlighted.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2023

The rapid development of mRNA vaccines has contributed to the management of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, suggesting that this technology may be used to manage future outbreaks of infectious diseases. Because the antigens targeted by mRNA vaccines can be easily altered by simply changing the sequence present in the coding region of mRNA structures, it is more appropriate to develop vaccines, especially during rapidly developing outbreaks of infectious diseases. In addition to allowing rapid development, mRNA vaccines have great potential in inducing successful antigen-specific immunity by expressing target antigens in cells and simultaneously triggering immune responses. Indeed, the two COVID-19 mRNA vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have shown significant efficacy in preventing infections. The ability of mRNAs to produce target proteins that are defective in specific diseases has enabled the development of options to treat intractable diseases. Clinical applications of mRNA vaccines/therapeutics require strategies to safely deliver the RNA molecules into targeted cells. The present review summarizes current knowledge about mRNA vaccines/ therapeutics, their clinical applications, and their delivery strategies.