• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.377-383
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• 2023

Objectives: Korea and Japan have managed the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using markedly different policies, referred to as the "3T" and "3C" strategies, respectively. This study examined these differences to assess the roles of active testing and contact tracing as non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). We compared the proportion of unlinked cases (UCs) and test positivity rate (TPR) as indicators of tracing and testing capacities. Methods: We outlined the evolution of NPI policies and investigated temporal trends in their correlations with UCs, confirmed cases, and TPR prior to the Omicron peak. Spearman correlation coefficients were reported between the proportion of UCs, confirmed cases, and TPR. The Fisher r-to-z transformation was employed to examine the significance of differences between correlation coefficients. Results: The proportion of UCs was significantly correlated with confirmed cases (r=0.995, p<0.001) and TPR (r=0.659, p<0.001) in Korea and with confirmed cases (r=0.437, p<0.001) and TPR (r=0.429, p<0.001) in Japan. The Fisher r-to-z test revealed significant differences in correlation coefficients between the proportion of UCs and confirmed cases (z=16.07, p<0.001) and between the proportion of UCs and TPR (z=2.12, p=0.034) in Korea and Japan. Conclusions: Higher UCs were associated with increases in confirmed cases and TPR, indicating the importance of combining testing and contact tracing in controlling COVID-19. The implementation of stricter policies led to stronger correlations between these indicators. The proportion of UCs and TPR effectively indicated the effectiveness of NPIs. If the proportion of UCs shows an upward trend, more testing and contact tracing may be required.

• 한국간호교육학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.49-60
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• 2024

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had significant physical and psychological impacts on registered nurses (RNs). This study aimed to identify long COVID symptoms and their associated factors specifically among RNs. Methods: This descriptive correlational study's sample comprised 189 nurses (31.57±5.98 years, 93.7% female) in Korea. Self-reported long COVID symptoms were assessed using the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale. Data were collected from December 31, 2022, to January 13, 2023, using the online survey method and were analyzed using independent t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and a multiple linear regression analysis with the IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 program. Results: A total of 179 participants (94.7%) experienced one or more long COVID symptoms. The most prevalent symptoms were weakness (77.8%), fatigue (68.3%), breathlessness (67.7%), cough/throat sensitivity/voice change (50.3%), and sleep problems (50.3%). The factors related to long COVID symptoms were marital status, type of institution, working time, acute COVID-19 symptoms, and vaccination status. The quarantine period (β=.26, p<.001) and the nursing workforce after COVID-19 (β=-.17, p=.018) were significantly associated with long COVID symptoms (Adjusted R² =.33). Conclusion: Providing comprehensive recognition is necessary for the understanding of long COVID symptoms and their associated factors among nurses and could promote a long COVID symptom management education program targeted at nurses. Moreover, it could facilitate effective nursing care and education plans for long COVID patients.

• 식물병연구
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.157-164
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• 2024

Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) is one of healthy products for fermented or functional food in Korea and is widely distributed and cultivated worldwide. During August 2022, Jack bean plants showing symptoms of yellow flecks, chlorosis, necrotic spots and mosaic were observed in Jangheung-gun, South Korea. By transmission electron microscopy, flexuous filamentous virus particles of approximately 750×13 nm in size were observed in the symptomatic leaf samples. The infection of a Korean isolate of clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV-Ce-JH) was confirmed using double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked sorbent assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and high-throughput sequencing. The complete genome sequence of ClYVV-Ce-JH consists of 9,549 nucleotides (nt) excluding the poly (A) tail and encodes 3,072 amino acids (aa), with an AUG start and UAG stop codon, containing one open reading frame that is typical of a potyvirus polyprotein. The polyprotein of ClYVV-Ce-JH was divided into ten proteins and each protein's cleavage sites were determined. The coat protein (CP) and polyprotein of ClYVV-Ce-JH were compared at the nt and aa levels with those of the previously reported 14 ClYVV isolates. ClYVV-Ce-JH shared 92.62% to 99.63% and 93.39% to 98.05% at the CP and polyprotein homology. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Korean isolate of ClYVV from Jack bean plants and the complete genome sequence of a ClYVV Jack bean isolate in the world.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.9.1-9.8
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• 2021

The most important characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission that makes it difficult to control are 1) asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission, 2) low incidence or lack of dominant systemic symptoms such as fever, 3) airborne transmission that may need a high infectious dose, and 4) super-spread events (SSEs). Patients with COVID-19 have high viral loads at symptom onset or even a few days prior to symptom onset, and most patients with COVID-19 have only mild respiratory symptoms or merely pauci-/null-symptoms. These characteristics of the virus enable it to easily spread to the community because most patients are unaware of their potential infectivity, and symptom-based control measures cannot prevent this type of transmission. Furthermore, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is also capable of airborne transmission in conditions such as aerosol-generating procedures, under-ventilated indoor spaces, and over-crowded areas. In this context, universal mask-wearing is important to prevent both outward and inward transmission until an adequate degree of herd immunity is achieved through vaccination. Lastly, the SSEs of SARS-CoV-2 transmission emphasize the importance of reducing contacts by limiting social gatherings. The above-mentioned transmission characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 have culminated in the failure of long-lasting quarantine measures, and indicate that only highly effective vaccines can keep the communities safe from this deadly, multifaceted virus.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.11.1-11.10
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• 2021

Coronavirus causes an infectious disease in various species and crosses the species barriers leading to the outbreak of zoonotic diseases. Due to the respiratory diseases are mainly caused in humans and viruses are replicated and excreted through the respiratory tract, the nasal fluid and sputum are mainly used for diagnosis. Early diagnosis of coronavirus plays an important role in preventing its spread and is essential for quarantine policies. For rapid decision and prompt triage of infected host, the immunochromatographic assay (ICA) has been widely used for point of care testing. However, when the ICA is applied to an expectorated sputum in which antigens are present, the viscosity of sputum interferes with the migration of the antigens on the test strip. To overcome this limitation, it is necessary to use a mucolytic agent without affecting the antigens. In this study, we combined known mucolytic agents to lower the viscosity of sputum and applied that to alpha and beta coronavirus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), respectively, spiked in sputum to find optimal pretreatment conditions. The pretreatment method using tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) and BSA was suitable for ICA diagnosis of sputum samples spiked with PEDV and MERS-CoV. This sensitive assay for the detection of coronavirus in sputum provides an useful information for the diagnosis of pathogen in low respiratory tract.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.356-369
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• 2024

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore healthcare providers' experiences in managing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on healthcare services. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 34 healthcare professionals across 15 districts in Bangladesh. Among the participants, 24 were health managers or administrators stationed at the district or upazila (sub-district) level, and 10 were clinicians providing care to patients with COVID-19. The telephone interviews were conducted in Bangla, audio-recorded, transcribed, and then translated into English. Data were analyzed thematically. Results: Most interviewees identified a range of issues within the health system. These included unpreparedness, challenges in segregating COVID-19 patients, maintaining isolation and home quarantine, a scarcity of intensive care unit beds, and ensuring continuity of service for non-COVID-19 patients. The limited availability of personal protective equipment, a shortage of human resources, and logistical challenges, such as obtaining COVID-19 tests, were frequently cited as barriers to managing the pandemic. Additionally, changes in the behavior of health service seekers, particularly increased aggression, were reported. The primary motivating factor for healthcare providers was the willingness to continue providing health services, rather than financial incentives. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique set of challenges for health systems, while also providing valuable lessons in managing a public health crisis. To effectively address future health crises, it is crucial to resolve a myriad of issues within the health system, including the inequitable distribution of human resources and logistical challenges.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제57권5호
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• pp.443-450
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• 2024

Objectives: Lack of physical activity has a critical effect on the physical and mental health of adolescents. This study examined the influence of family adversities on the longitudinal changes in physical inactivity among adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: The study used multi-wave data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, including 2590 Korean adolescents aged 12-14 years. The longitudinal trajectory of physical inactivity among adolescents and the effects of related factors were estimated using a latent growth modeling method. Results: Our results revealed a significant increase in physical inactivity among adolescents over time. At the onset of the pandemic, approximately one-seventh of Korean middle schoolers reported a lack of physical activity. However, 3 years later, during the quarantine, nearly one-fifth of these adolescents reported a significant increase in their physical inactivity. Initially, low level parental education was predictive of adolescents' physical inactivity, but this effect diminished over time, becoming statistically insignificant by the end of the 3-year period. Moreover, the increase in physical inactivity over the 3 years was significantly influenced by parental rejection. Conclusions: These findings suggest that adolescents who experience parental rejection are more likely to report an increase in sedentary behaviors in contexts such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 한국지리정보학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.94-106
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• 2018

역학 모델은 질병 확산에 대한 시뮬레이션 및 관련 방역대책을 수립하는데 유용하며, 개체들의 접촉을 통해 전파되는 질병의 공간 확산에 대한 자세한 이해를 가능하게 한다. 이 연구에서는 공간에서 개체 간의 상호작요에 의한 결과로 메르스 전염병의 확산을 실시간적으로 시뮬레이션하기 위해 공간 빅데이터와 통합된 행위자 기반 공간 모델을 제안하고자 한다. 설계된 모델은 모집단, 시간, 공간이라는 세 요소를 고려하여 병원간의 직접접촉을 묘사하였다. 모집단의 역학관계는 2015년 서울특별시에서 발생한 메르스 사례를 기준으로 하였으며, 도로를 이동하는 사람과 메르스 환자가 발생한 병원과의 직접접촉으로 전염병이 전파하는 것으로 설계하였다. 모델을 이용하여 메르스 발생 상황을 예측하면서 시계열별로 실제 메르스 확산과 본 모형의 결과를 비교분석 하여 모형의 타당성을 검증하였으며, 다양한 시나리오를 적용해서 모의실험을 수행하였다. 메르스 발생 상황에서 방역 전략을 선정하기 위해 제시된 방법을 이용하여 방역조치를 다양하게 실험하는 것은 메르스 확산을 통제하는데 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 기대된다.

• 식물병연구
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.306-313
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• 2017

최근 한국에서 화상병이 발생하였으며, 그 이후로 이병에 대한 박멸프로그램이 가동되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 2가지 항혈청기반 진단 스트립의 국내 분리 화상병균 Erwinia amylovora (Ea)에 대한 특이성과 검출민감도 그리고 현장진단에 적용을 평가하였다. 상업화된 Ea AgriStrip과 본 연구에서 개발한 EB strip은 검정에 사용한 모든 한국 Ea 균주들과 가지검은마름병을 일으키는 대부분의 Erwinia pyrifoliae (Ep)에 양성반응을 보여주었다. 사과나무 가지마름병을 일으키는 Pusedomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss)의 사용한 모든 균주에 음성반응을 보여주었다. 2 스트립 사이에 검출민감도는 유사하였다. 현장진단의 경우, 2가지 스트립은 화상병이 발생한 모든 과수원에서 채취한 화상병징 세균추출액에 대하여 양성반응을 보였다. 그러나 겨울철에 진행된 한 곳의 화상병 현장진단에서는 화상병병징 세균추출액에 음성반응을 보였다. 또한 2가지 스트립은 가지검은마름병이 발생한 과수원에서 채집한 가지검은마름병징 세균추출액에 대해서 양성반응을 보여주었다. 이상의 결과는 Ea AgriStrip과 EB strip이 화상병 현장진단에 유용할 것으로 암시한다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.437-446
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• 2018

To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pork on the market in Korea, an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tissue fluid (CAU-tf-ELISA) was developed using a soluble extract of T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. As the standard positive controls, the piglets were experimentally infected with T. gondii: Group A (1,000 cysts-containing bradyzoites), Group B (500 cysts-containing bradyzoites) and Group C ($1.0{\times}10^3$ or $1.0{\times}10^4$ tachyzoites). The CAU-tf-ELISA demonstrated infection intensity-dependent positivity toward tissue fluids with average cut-off value 0.15: 100% for Group A, 93.8% for Group B and 40.6% for Group C. When tissue-specific cut-off values 0.066-0.199 were applied, CAU-tf-ELISA showed 96.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive and 90.0% negative predictive values. When compared with the same tissue fluids, performance of CAU-tf-ELISA was better than that of a commercial ELISA kit. Of the 583 Korea domestic pork samples tested, anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected from 9.1% of whole samples and 37.9% from skirt meat highest among pork parts. In the 386 imported frozen pork samples, 1.8% (skirt meat and shoulder blade) were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies. In Korea, prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in the pork on retail markets appeared high, suggesting that regulations on pig farming and facilities are necessary to supply safe pork on the tables.