• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.311-319
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• 2020

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly emerging viral disease with fatal outcomes. However, no MERS-CoV-specific treatment is commercially available. Given the absence of previous structure-based drug discovery studies targeting MERS-CoV fusion proteins, this set of compounds is considered the first generation of MERS-CoV small molecule fusion inhibitors. After a virtual screening campaign of 1.56 million compounds followed by cell-cell fusion assay and MERS-CoV plaques inhibition assay, three new compounds were identified. Compound numbers 22, 73, and 74 showed IC₅₀ values of 12.6, 21.8, and 11.12 µM, respectively, and were most effective at the onset of spike-receptor interactions. The compounds exhibited safe profiles against Human embryonic kidney cells 293 at a concentration of 20 µM with no observed toxicity in Vero cells at 10 µM. The experimental results are accompanied with predicted favorable pharmacokinetic descriptors and drug-likeness parameters. In conclusion, this study provides the first generation of MERS-CoV fusion inhibitors with potencies in the low micromolar range.

• 한국융합학회논문지
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.149-157
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• 2017

한국의 메르스 유행발생은 역학적으로 의료기관과 관련된 감염을 보였다. 이 당시 메르스로 인한 의료인 감염자 수는 39명이었고 그 중 간호사는 15명 이었다. 미래의 간호사로서 이러한 감염환자를 돌보게 될 간호대학생들에게 메르스에 대한 지식과 태도 및 감염예방행위 수행도에 대하여 조사하여 감염예방에 기여하고자 하였다. 본 연구는 서술적 조사연구로, 연구 시기는 2016년 4월부터 5월까지이며 연구대상자는 간호대학생 350명이다. 연구결과 메르스를 예방하려는 태도(p<.001)와 감염예방행위 수행도가 통계적으로 유의미한 정(+)의 상관관계가 나타났다. 메르스 감염예방행위 수행도에 대한 지식과 태도의 영향은 회귀모형의 설명력이 15.2%이었고 통계적으로 유의미하였다(F=31.081, p<.001). 즉, 메르스를 예방하려는 태도(${\beta}=.383$, p<.001)가 높을수록 감염예방행위를 더욱 준수하려는 것을 알 수 있었다. 향후 간호대학생에게 메르스와 같은 감염질환에 대한 융합적 교육프로그램을 실시하여, 감염질환의 전파를 막으려는 태도를 강화하고 감염예방행위를 실천하게 하는 연구가 필요하다고 제언한다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제52권6호
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• pp.397-402
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• 2019

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) uses the spike (S) glycoprotein to recognize and enter target cells. In this study, we selected two epitope peptide sequences within the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the MERS-CoV S protein. We used a complex consisting of the epitope peptide of the MERS-CoV S protein and CpG-DNA encapsulated in liposome complex to immunize mice, and produced the monoclonal antibodies 506-2G10G5 and 492-1G10E4E2. The western blotting data showed that both monoclonal antibodies detected the S protein and immunoprecipitated the native form of the S protein. Indirect immunofluorescence and confocal analysis suggested strong reactivity of the antibodies towards the S protein of MERS-CoV virus infected Vero cells. Furthermore, the 506-2G10G5 monoclonal antibody significantly reduced plaque formation in MERS-CoV infected Vero cells compared to normal mouse IgG and 492-1G10E4E2. Thus, we successfully produced a monoclonal antibody directed against the RBD domain of the S protein which could be used in the development of diagnostics and therapeutic applications in the future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권5호
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• pp.813-819
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• 2019

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) induces severe respiratory impairment with a reported mortality rate of ~36% in humans. The absence of clinically available MERS-CoV vaccines and treatments to date has resulted in uncontrolled incidence and propagation of the virus. In vaccine design, fusion with the IgG Fc domain is reported to increase the immunogenicity of various vaccine antigens. However, limited reports have documented the potential negative effects of Fc fusion on vaccine antigens. To determine whether Fc fusion affects the immunogenicity of MERS-CoV antigen, we constructed a Fcassociated MERS-CoV spike protein (eS770-Fc, 110 kDa), whereby human IgG4 Fc domain was fused to MERS-CoV spike protein (eS770) via a Gly/Pro linker using baculovirus as the expression system. For comparative analyses, two eS770 proteins lacking the IgG4 Fc domain were generated using the IdeS protease ($eS770-{\Delta}Fc$) or His tag attachment (eS770-His) and the immunogenicity of the above constructs were examined following intramuscular immunization in mice. Contrary to expectations, non-Fc spike proteins ($eS770-{\Delta}Fc$, eS770-His; 90 kDa) showed higher immunogenicity than the Fc fusion protein (eS770-Fc). Moreover, unlike non-Fc spike proteins, eS770-Fc immunization did not elicit neutralizing antibodies against MERS-CoV. The lower immunogenicity of Fc-fused eS770 was related to alterations in the structural conformation of the spike protein. Taken together, our results indicate that IgG Fc fusion reduces the immunogenicity of eS770 by interfering with the proper folding structure.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.65-75
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aims to examine how elementary, middle and high school health teachers in Gyeonggi province react to infectious disease like MERS. Methods: This is a descriptive study using a convenience sample of 1,267 school health teachers. Results: When MERS was an epidemic, school health teachers who took the 'leading' role were 92.4%. A school heath teacher's countermeasures against infectious diseases showed a high score during MERS outbreak (3.81) compared to regular days (3.59). Conclusion: Based on such results, it has been determined that schools need to keep two types of procedures manual, such as 'countermeasures on a regular basis' and 'countermeasures in the event of a pandemic disease outbreak' manual in the staff offices so that anyone can view them at any time. It is necessary to prepare regulations to strengthen their authority so that school health teachers can take the role of control tower, in a professional capacity, when communicable disease is spreading. In order to prevent any confusion and chaos, there should be a unitary reporting system at each school when dealing with an epidemic. School health teachers need to get continuous training to reinforce their abilities to react to communicable diseases.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• 제33권53호
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• pp.348.1-348.6
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• 2018

We report a case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in a 61-year-old businessman returning from Kuwait. The patient arrived there on August 16, 2018, developed watery diarrhea on August 28 (day 0), and came back to Korea on September 7 (day 10) as his condition worsened. Upon arrival, he complained of diarrhea and weakness, but denied any respiratory symptoms, and he directly went to visit an emergency room. Chest radiography revealed interstitial infiltrates in the lungs, and he was immediately transferred to an isolation unit. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of sputum samples taken on day 11 returned positive for MERS-CoV. No secondary MERS-CoV infection was identified among people who had close contact with him. This case underscores the importance of a high index of suspicion of MERS-CoV infection in any febrile patients who present after a trip to the Middle East.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.999-1007
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• 2019

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and related infection cases have been reported in over 20 countries. Roughly 10,000 human cases have so far been reported in total with fatality rates at up to 40%. The majority of cases have occurred in Saudi Arabia with mostly sporadic outbreaks outside the country except for the one in South Korea in 2015. The Korean MERS-CoV strain was isolated from the second Korean patient and its genome was fully sequenced and deposited. To develop virus-specific protective and therapeutic agents against the Korean isolate and to investigate molecular determinants of virus-host interactions, it is of paramount importance to generate its full-length cDNA. Here we report that two full-length cDNAs from a Korean patient-isolated MERS-CoV strain were generated by a combination of conventional cloning techniques and efficient Gibson assembly reactions. The full-length cDNAs were validated by restriction analysis and their sequence was verified by Sanger method. The resulting cDNA was efficiently transcribed in vitro and the T7 promoter-driven expression was robust. The resulting reverse genetic system will add to the published list of MERS-CoV cDNAs and facilitate the development of Korean isolate-specific antiviral measures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.143-154
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• 2017

This paper presents the mathematical model for the MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea, and the optimal control for two intervention strategies (contact, hospitalization) is implemented. After the MERS-CoV outbreak, hospitalizing infected individuals did not help to prevent the spread of infection. However, the intervention to control contact was effective. It was effective the intervention to controlling both of contact and hospitalization of infection population.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.125-126
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• 2020

• 한국언론정보학보
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• 제78권
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• pp.116-140
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• 2016

본 연구는 2015년 메르스 위기 중 두 차례에 걸쳐 동일한 응답자들을 대상으로 수집한 온라인 패널 서베이 자료를 이용해 개인의 위기관련 정보탐색 처리에 미치는 요인과 위험정보 탐색처리가 위험 방지행동에 긍정적 영향을 미치는지를 검증하였다. 또한 메르스 위기 상황에서 SNS를 통해 가족, 친구, 지인과 활발한 소통이 메르스 위기관련 정보의 탐색, 처리 그리고 방지행동에 어떤 조절 영향을 미치는지도 살펴보았다. 연구 결과 위기정보 탐색처리 모델은 한국의 메르스 위기상황에서 그 타당성이 검증되었으며, 특히 메르스 관련 정보의 적극적 탐색과 체계적 처리가 이후 메르스 방지 행동에 긍정적 영향을 미쳤다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이와 함께, SNS 이용량에 따라 나뉜 두 집단에서 메르스 관련 정보의 탐색과 처리에 미치는 요인과 그 결과에 유의미한 차이가 있음을 알 수 있었다. SNS 이용에 따른 조절효과는 주로 부정적 감정과 사회적 동기요인을 중심으로 드러났고, 연구결과는 메르스 위기 중 SNS의 이용이 불필요한 공포를 조장한다는 우려와는 달리 위기의 지각이 부정적 감정으로 이어지는 관계를 완화시켜주고, 나아가 사회적 동기요인을 자극하고 메르스에 대한 체계적 정보처리를 강화시키는 영향을 미쳤다는 것을 보여주었다.