• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.807-812
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• 2020

In order to prevent the national wide spread of the COVID-19 virus, the government enforces to use an electronic access registration system for public facilities to effectively track and manage the spread. Initially, there was a lot of hassle to write a directory, but recently a system for creating an electronic access list using QR codes, what is called KI-Pass, is mainly used. However, the procedure for generating a QR code is somewhat cumbersome. In this paper, we propose a new electronic access registration system that does not require QR code. This system effectively controls the suspicious visitor by using a mask wearing discriminator which has been implemented using deep learning technology, and a non-contact thermometer package. In addition, by linking the beacon, a short-range wireless communication technology, and the visitor's smartphone application, basic information of the facility visitor is automatically registered to KDCA through the server. On the other hand, the user access information registered in the server is encrypted and stored, and is automatically destroyed after up to 4 weeks. This system is expected to be very effective in preventing the spread of other new infectious diseases as well as responding to the coronavirus which is recording a high spread worldwide.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.471-476
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• 2000

Objective : p16/INK4a, a kind of tumor suppressor genes, encodes a specific inhibitor of the cyclin D-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6. This prevents the association of CDK4 with cyclin D1, and subsequently inhibits phosphorylation of retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein(pRb), thus preventing exit from the G1 phase. According to previous reports, over 50% of glioma tissue and 80% of glioma cell lines have been demonstrated inactivation of p16/INK4a gene. The purpose of this study was to determine whether recombinant adenovirus-p16 virus is a suitable candidate for gene replacement therapy in cases of glioma. Methods : Three human glioma cell lines(U251MG, U87MG and U373MG) that express mutant p16 protein were used. Replication-deficient adenovirus was utilized as an expression vector to transfer exogenous p16 cDNA into the cells ; control cells were infected with the Ad-${\beta}$-gal expressing ${\beta}$-galactosidase. To monitor gene transfer and the expression of exogenous genes, we used Western Blotting analysis. Flow cytometry studies of cellular DNA content were performed to determine the cell cycle phenotype of the glioma cells before and after treatment. Results : We showed here that restoration of p16/INK4a expression in p16 negative U87MG, U251MG and partially deleted U373MG by Ad-CMV-p16 induced growth suppression in vitro. Flow cytometric study revealed that Ad-CMV-p16 infected U87MG cells were arrested during the G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle. Expression of p16 transferred by Ad-CMV-p16 in glioma cells was highly efficient and maintained for more than seven days. Conclusions : Our results suggest that Ad-CMV-p16 gene therapy strategy is potentially useful and warrants further clinical investigation for the treatment of gliomas.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.530-535
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• 2021

Background: Despite the lack of official COVID-19 statistics, various workplaces and occupations have been at the center of COVID-19 outbreaks. We aimed to compare legal measures and governance established for managing COVID-19 infection risks at workplaces in nine Asia and Pacific countries and to recommend key administrative measures. Methods: We collected information on legal measures and governance from both general citizens and workers regarding infection risks such as COVID-19 from industrial hygiene professionals in nine countries (Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) using a structured questionnaire. Results: A governmental body overseeing public health and welfare was in charge of containing the spread and occurrence of infectious diseases under an infectious disease control and prevention act or another special act, although the name of the pertinent organizations and legislation vary among countries. Unlike in the case of other traditional hazards, there have been no specific articles or clauses describing the means of mitigating virus risk in the workplace that are legally required of employers, making it difficult to define the responsibilities of the employer. Each country maintains own legal systems regarding access to the duration, administration, and financing of paid sick leave. Many workers may not have access to paid sick leave even if it is legally guaranteed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.629-659
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• 2021

This study compared the influences of Korean psycho-social experiences on emotional-distress(stress, depression, anxiety, anger) of Koreans between two-periods during COVID-19. First, an online survey was conducted among 600 participants between April 13, 2020 and 21, while WHO had declared the pandemic, and Daegu-Gyungbuk were declared as a special-disaster area. Second, an online survey was conducted among 482 participants out of 600 study participants from the first study during August 21 to September 2, while COVID-19 re-spreaded around the world, and total confirmed cases were over 1,000 for a week in Seoul-Gyeonggi province. Hierarchical-regression analysis was used to determine the influence of personal characteristics, fear and social constraints, relationship conflict and income-decreasing factors on stress, depression, anxiety, anger in the two-time points. Results suggest that gender, quality-of-life, 'frequent information-checking about COVID-19', 'fear of unpredictability' and 'difficulties on hospital treatment access' predicted distress(stress, depression, anxiety, anger) at both Time1 and 2. 'Difficulties with official schedule' predicted distress at Time 1, and age, vulnerability to infection and difficulties with personal schedules predicted distress(stress, depression, anxiety, anger) at Time 2. Based on the reseults, implications and recommendations were presented.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2024

This study aims to compare the role of the public sector in the U.S. and Korean medical security systems and study response measures in the social risk situation of the COVID-19 virus. The COVID-19 pandemic was a typical case of a 'disaster' that spread across the world across borders in a short period of time and caused serious social welfare losses by increasing the annual number of deaths by approximately 4% in 2020. Threats to health security, such as changes in social order, unpredictable endings, prolonged control of daily life, and deepening inequality, affected the economy, politics, and environment as a whole, and people had to experience anxiety and confusion due to mental and physical stress. Furthermore, developed countries failed to provide help to low-income countries in the face of global disasters. In this situation, the country's disaster management capacity to minimize harm and secure resilience, especially disaster response capacity in the health and medical field, is inevitably very important. Therefore, this study compares how the health insurance system, which is a system to guarantee citizens' right to life, differs from the United States, a liberal health care country, and raises the need to strengthen the role of the public sector.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.166-177
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• 2005

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the molecular epidemiology and genetic variability of adenovirus(Ad) serotypes Ad1, Ad2, and Ad5 over 14 years in Korea. Methods : A total of 382 adenoviral strains isolated from the nasopharyngeal aspirates of children with lower respiratory tract infections in Seoul, Korea from November 1990 to February 2003 were serotyped by neutralization assay with type-specific antisera. Viral DNAs were extracted from infected cell lysates by the modified Hirt procedure. Genome type(GT) was determined by DNA restriction analysis with 12 restriction enzymess(BamHI, BclI, BglI, BglII, BstEII, EcoRI, HindIII, HpaI, SalI, SmaI, XbaI, and XhoI). To evaluate the genetic relatedness, pairwise comigrating restriction fragments(PCRF) analysis was performed. Results : Of 382 strains, 33 strains(9%) were Ad1, 45 strains(12%) were Ad2, and 24 strains(6%) were Ad5. Eighteen GTs(Ad1p1-Ad1p7, Ad1a, Ad1b, Ad1b1-Ad1b3, Ad1c, Ad1d, Ad1e, Ad1e1, Ad1e2, Ad1f) among Ad1, 24(Ad2p1-Ad2p11, Ad2a, Ad2a1-Ad2a6, Ad2b, Ad2c, Ad2d, Ad2e, Ad2e1-Ad2e3) among Ad2, and 10(Ad5p1, Ad5p2, Ad5a, Ad5a1-Ad5a7) among Ad5 strains were identified. One or two strains of the vast majority of GTs were isolated during the study period while a few GTs were identified sporadically with more than 2 strains. It is notable that some GTs such as Ad1p5 and Ad5a1 appeared in cluster during a short period. In analysis of genetic relatedness, the degree of PCRFs(pairwise comigrating restriction fragments) for Ad1 varied from 79 to 99%, for Ad2, 82 to 99%, and for Ad5, 85 to 99%. Conclusion : This study established the comprehensive nomenclature systems of Ad1, Ad2, and Ad5. Diverse GTs identified in this study have crucial implications in the genomic diversity and epidemiological characteristics of Ad1, Ad2, and Ad5.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.69-76
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• 2013

The incidence of globally infectious and pathogenic diseases such as H1N1 (swine flu) and Avian Influenza (AI) has recently increased. An infectious disease is a pathogen-caused disease, which can be passed from the infected person to the susceptible host. Pathogens of infectious diseases, which are bacillus, spirochaeta, rickettsia, virus, fungus, and parasite, etc., cause various symptoms such as respiratory disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, and acute febrile illness. They can be spread through various means such as food, water, insect, breathing and contact with other persons. Recently, most countries around the world use a mathematical model to predict and prepare for the spread of infectious diseases. In a modern society, however, infectious diseases are spread in a fast and complicated manner because of rapid development of transportation (both ground and underground). Therefore, we do not have enough time to predict the fast spreading and complicated infectious diseases. Therefore, new system, which can prevent the spread of infectious diseases by predicting its pathway, needs to be developed. In this study, to solve this kind of problem, an integrated monitoring system, which can track and predict the pathway of infectious diseases for its realtime monitoring and control, is developed. This system is implemented based on the conventional mathematical model called by 'Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) Model.' The proposed model has characteristics that both inter- and intra-city modes of transportation to express interpersonal contact (i.e., migration flow) are considered. They include the means of transportation such as bus, train, car and airplane. Also, modified real data according to the geographical characteristics of Korea are employed to reflect realistic circumstances of possible disease spreading in Korea. We can predict where and when vaccination needs to be performed by parameters control in this model. The simulation includes several assumptions and scenarios. Using the data of Statistics Korea, five major cities, which are assumed to have the most population migration have been chosen; Seoul, Incheon (Incheon International Airport), Gangneung, Pyeongchang and Wonju. It was assumed that the cities were connected in one network, and infectious disease was spread through denoted transportation methods only. In terms of traffic volume, daily traffic volume was obtained from Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). In addition, the population of each city was acquired from Statistics Korea. Moreover, data on H1N1 (swine flu) were provided by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and air transport statistics were obtained from Aeronautical Information Portal System. As mentioned above, daily traffic volume, population statistics, H1N1 (swine flu) and air transport statistics data have been adjusted in consideration of the current conditions in Korea and several realistic assumptions and scenarios. Three scenarios (occurrence of H1N1 in Incheon International Airport, not-vaccinated in all cities and vaccinated in Seoul and Pyeongchang respectively) were simulated, and the number of days taken for the number of the infected to reach its peak and proportion of Infectious (I) were compared. According to the simulation, the number of days was the fastest in Seoul with 37 days and the slowest in Pyeongchang with 43 days when vaccination was not considered. In terms of the proportion of I, Seoul was the highest while Pyeongchang was the lowest. When they were vaccinated in Seoul, the number of days taken for the number of the infected to reach at its peak was the fastest in Seoul with 37 days and the slowest in Pyeongchang with 43 days. In terms of the proportion of I, Gangneung was the highest while Pyeongchang was the lowest. When they were vaccinated in Pyeongchang, the number of days was the fastest in Seoul with 37 days and the slowest in Pyeongchang with 43 days. In terms of the proportion of I, Gangneung was the highest while Pyeongchang was the lowest. Based on the results above, it has been confirmed that H1N1, upon the first occurrence, is proportionally spread by the traffic volume in each city. Because the infection pathway is different by the traffic volume in each city, therefore, it is possible to come up with a preventive measurement against infectious disease by tracking and predicting its pathway through the analysis of traffic volume.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2007

Purpose : Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a newly identified paramyxovirus that causes a variety of clinical syndromes in children, including upper and lower respiratory tract illnesses. hMPV is considered an ubiquitous virus causing respiratory tract diseases among children especially during late winter and spring seasons. We report clinical features of human metapneumovirus infection in Korean children. Methods : hMPV infection was diagnosed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in respiratory specimens obtained from patients with acute respiratory tract infections from October, 2004 to May, 2005. Medical records of all hMPV-positive patients were reviewed, retrospectively. Results : A total of 15 hMPV were identified from 443 nasopharyngeal aspirations by RT-PCR (3.4%). The range of age of the patients with hMPV infection was from 1 month to 62 months (median age, 31.5 months), with similar numbers of females (8/15) and males (7/15). Among hMPV-positive children, 53.3% (8/15) were aged less than 24 months. Fever, cough, rhinorrhea, vomiting, diarrhea, tachypnea, and chest wall retractions were common findings. Most common clinical diagnosis was pneumonia (60%). Two of the 15 hMPV-positive patients were also positive for adenovirus. Fever persisted from 0 to 10 days (mean 4.9 days). The duration of hospitalization ranged from 4 to 7 days (mean 5.6 days). Conclusion : hMPV accounted for a small but significant proportion of respiratory tract infection in infants and children. Future development and application of diagnostic tools will determine the burden of disease caused by this newly discovered pathogen.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.207-212
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• 2001

Purpose: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is relatively common in childhood. Its extrapulmonary manifestations have been reported so much, but hepatitis associated with it has not been studied yet until now in Korea. Methods: We performed the prospective study of 19 cases that had AST and ALT>50 IU/L respectively without evidence of hepatitis A, B, C, cytomegalovirus, and Ebstein-Barr virus infections amongst 143 patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Seoul Red Cross Hospital from Jan. 1999 to Dec. 2000. Results: 1) Hepatitis occurred in 13.3% of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, especially in fall and winter times. The average age was 4.86 years and male to female ratio was 2.2:1. 2) Vomiting was developed in 21.1%, diarrhea in 36.8%, and hepatomegaly in 21.1%, respectively. And leukocytosis was noted in 21.1%, eosinophilia in 15.4%, anemia in 10.5%, and thrombocytosis in 5.3%, respectively. The average level of C-reactive protein was $6.34{\pm}4.82$ mg/dl. 3) There was no hyperbilirubinemia, but hypoalbuminemia was detected in 42.1%. The average serum levels of AST and ALT were $214.05{\pm}183.22$ IU/L and $284.16{\pm}286.84$ IU/L, respectively. 4) Chest radiology showed lobar or lobular consolidation in 73.7%, bronchial infiltration in 26.3%, and pleural effusion in 31.6%. 5) The average length of hospitalization was 7.9 days, and the average length of normalization of serum transaminases was 8.8 days. All patients recovered within 2 weeks completely. Conclusion: The prognosis of M. pneumoniae hepatitis is good. However, its incidence is not so low that liver function should be considerately checked in case of M. pneumoniae infection.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.383-390
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• 2008

Purpose : This study was aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with acute interstitial pneumonia who had presented similar clinical patterns from March to June, 2006 and to describe our experience of treatment and to identify risk factors associated with prognosis. Methods : The clinical characteristics, radiologic and histopathologic findings and response to steroids of 15 patients (non-survival group [n=7] and survival group [control, n=8]) with acute interstitial pneumonia were investigated through the review of medical records. Results : The mean age of the patients was 26 (range: 3-48) months. Cough, cyanosis and fever were frequent symptoms. The most frequent radiologic findings on admission were pneumomediastium and extensive ground glass opacity. Surgical lung biopsy was performed on 8/15 (53.3%) patients and diffuse alveolar damage was found. Mechanical ventilation was applied for 9/15 (60.0%) patients for 40 (range: 1-99) days. Five patients in survival group received steroid treatment and 7 patients in non-survivial group (P=0.20). One patient in survival group received steroid pulse treatment and 4 patients in non-survival group (P=0.12). Seven patients died all of respiratory failure. The survival rate was 53.4%. Conclusion : The patients with acute interstitial pneumonia which occurred on spring 2006 showed high mortality because of rapidly and extensively progressing pulmonary fibrosis and air leakage. Therefore, we should consider surgical lung biopsy and steroid application earlier. We should recognize this acute interstitial pneumonia occurring on spring in domestics and need to investigate the cause and treatment in large scale.