• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.107-115
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• 2023

Purpose: The present study aimed to study the immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in patients with hematologic malignancies. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study of hematology patients aimed to evaluate their antibody levels against the receptor-binding domain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein and seroconversion rates following two doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. Between June and July 2021, we enrolled 61 patients and included 44 patients in our analysis. Antibody levels were assessed 8 and 4 weeks after the first and second injections, respectively, and compared with those of a healthy group. Results: Eight weeks after the first dose, the geometric mean antibody level was 1.02 binding antibody units (BAU)/mL in the patient group and 37.91 BAU/mL in the healthy volunteer group (p<0.01). Four weeks after the second dose, the geometric mean antibody level was 9.44 BAU/mL in patients and 641.6 BAU/mL in healthy volunteers (p<0.01). The seroconversion rates 8 weeks after the first dose were 27.27% and 98.86% in the patient and healthy volunteer groups, respectively (p<0.001). The seroconversion rate 4 weeks after the second dose was 47.73% in patients and 100% in healthy volunteers. Factors leading to lower seroconversion rates were rituximab therapy (p=0.002), steroid therapy (p<0.001), and ongoing chemotherapy (p=0.048). Factors that decreased antibody levels were hematologic cancer (p<0.001), ongoing chemotherapy (p=0.004), rituximab (p<0.001), steroid use (p<0.001), and absolute lymphocyte count <1,000/mm³ (p=0.009). Conclusion: Immune responses were impaired in individuals with hematologic malignancies, particularly patients undergoing ongoing therapy and B-cell-depleting therapy. Additional vaccinations should be considered for these patients, and further investigated.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.2-8
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• 2022

Humanity is in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and vaccines-including mRNA vaccines-have been developed at an unprecedented speed. It is necessary to develop guidelines for vaccination for people undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and for pregnancy-related situations based on the extant laboratory and clinical data. COVID-19 vaccines do not appear to adversely affect gametes, embryos, or implantation; therefore, active vaccination is recommended for women or men who are preparing for ART. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) for the treatment of immune-related infertility is unlikely to impact the effectiveness of the vaccines, so COVID-19 vaccines can be administered around ART cycles in which IVIG is scheduled. Pregnant women have been proven to be at risk of severe maternal and neonatal complications from COVID-19. It does not appear that COVID-19 vaccines harm pregnant women or fetuses; instead, they have been observed to deliver antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) to the fetus. Accordingly, it is recommended that pregnant women receive COVID-19 vaccination. There is no rationale for adverse effects, or clinical cases of adverse reactions, in mothers or neonates after COVID-19 vaccination in lactating women. Instead, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can be delivered through breast milk. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers should consider vaccination. In summary, active administration of COVID-19 vaccines will help ensure the safe implementation of ART, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.131-140
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• 2022

목적: 코로나바이러스감염증-19 (coronavirus disease 2019, 코로나19) 대유행이 시작된 이후 새로운 변이 바이러스들이 지속적 출현으로 반복되는 코로나19 유행이 장기간 지속되고 있다. 본 연구는 국내 코로나19 유행 제3기와 제4기 중반까지 소아 청소년 환자의 임상적, 역학적 특성을 파악하고자 하였다. 방법: 코로나19 확진으로 입원한 18세 이하 환자의 의무기록을 후향적으로 분석하였다. 연구기간은 제3기 유행(2020년 11월 13일-2021년 7월 6일)과 제4기 유행(2021년 7월 7일-10월 31일)로 구분하였다. 결과: 총 93명이 분석에 포함되었다(제3기 33명, 제4기 60명). 제3기에 비해 제4기 환자군의 중간 연령이 유의하게 높았다(6.7세 vs. 2.8세, P=0.014). 가정 내 전파가 전체 환자의 60.2%에서 보고되었고 두 시기에서 유사하였다(69.7% vs. 55.0%, P=0.190). 전체 환자 중 87.1% (81명)가 유증상 확인자였다. 이중 12.3%는 호흡기 증상이 없었다. 후각/미각 소실은 제4기 유행 환자군에 더 많이 관찰되었다(10.7% vs. 34.0%, P=0.032). 대부분의 호흡기 감염은 상기도 감염(94.4%, 67/71)이었고 4명 환자에서 폐렴이 동반되었다. 두 유행기 동안 진단 시 바이러스 수치의 유의한 차이는 없었다. 결론: 단일기관 후향적 연구의 제한점이 있으나 국내 코로나19 유행 제3기와 제4기 중반 동안 소아청소년 환자는 대체로 경증이었고 두 시기에서 임상적 특성 차이가 관찰되었다.

• 한국시뮬레이션학회논문지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.43-54
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• 2021

2019년 말 코로나19(중증급성 호흡기 증후군 코로나 바이러스 타입 2)가 발견된 이후로 전세계적으로 퍼져나가고 있다. 본 연구에서는 접촉자 발견 수준이 바이러스 전파에 미치는 영향을 파악하기 위해서 현재 대한민국의 코로나19 전파 상황을 반영한 에이전트 기반 시뮬레이션 모델을 소개한다. 본 연구에서는 실제적인 시뮬레이션 모델 개발을 위해 대한민국 내 관련 데이터를 수집하고 그 확률분포를 추정하였다. 감염, 격리, 회복, 사망의 전체 감염 프로세스를 도식화하였으며 사람들의 상호작용을 교통량 데이터를 기반으로 하여 모델링 하였다. 사회적 거리 두기 같은 정부 시책에 대한 사람들의 순응도를 반영하기 위해 합성 로지스틱 함수를 활용하였다. 접촉자 발견 수준에 따른 감염 양상 변화를 파악하기 위해 발견 수준을 0%에서 100%까지 변화 시켰다. 그 결과 적극적인 접촉자 추적이 바이러스 확산을 효과적으로 제한하고 제한의 효과가 접촉자 발견 수준이 증가함에 따라 기하급수적으로 증가하는 것을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권10호
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• pp.1717-1721
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• 2008

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a life-threatening emerging respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV is highly antigenic and may be a suitable candidate for diagnostic applications. We constructed truncated recombinant N proteins (N1 [1-422 aa], N2 [1-109 aa], and N3 [110-422 aa]) and determined their antigenicity by Western blotting using convalescent SARS serum. The recombinants containing N1 and N3 reacted with convalescent SARS serum in Western blotting. However, the recombinant with N2 did not. In ELISA using N1 or N3 as the antigens, positive results were observed in 10 of to (100%) SARS-CoV-positive human sera. None of 50 healthy sera gave positive results in either assay. These data indicate that the ELISA using N1 or N3 has high sensitivity and specificity. These results suggest that the middle or C-terminal region of the SARS N protein is important for eliciting antibodies against SARS-CoV during the immune response, and ELISA reactions using N1 or N3 may be a valuable tool for SARS diagnosis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.289-292
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• 2020

Yemen has been faced with the worst cholera epidemic of modern times, with more than 1 million suspected cases and 3000 deaths at the time of writing. This problem is largely due to the longstanding civil war between pro-government forces and the Houthi armed movement, which has severely damaged already vulnerable sanitation and healthcare facilities and systems in the country. It is further compounded by a dire lack of basic amenities, chronic malnutrition, and unfavourable weather conditions. Another contributory component may be aerial transfer by cholera-infected chironomid insects. To contain the spread of cholera in Yemen, a nation-wide armistice should be negotiated, and national and local committees must be convened to coordinate efforts on the ground. Community isolation facilities with proper sanitation, reliable disposal systems, and a clean water supply should be set up to isolate and treat sick patients. The continuity of vaccination programmes should be ensured. Public health campaigns to educate local communities about good hygiene practices and nutrition are also necessary. The One Health paradigm emphasizes a multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary understanding and approach to prevent and mitigate the threat of communicable diseases. This paradigm is highly applicable to the ongoing cholera crisis in Yemen, as it demands a holistic and whole-of-society approach at the local, regional, and national levels. The key stakeholders and warring parties in Yemen must work towards a lasting ceasefire during these trying times, especially given the extra burden from the mounting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak worldwide.

• 기독교교육논총
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• 제65권
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• pp.133-161
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• 2021

이 연구는 코로나-19 펜데믹의 상황 속에서 우리 사회의 취약성에 주목한다. 중증호흡기증후군 코로나바이러스 2019는 사스-코비드-2 바이러스의 심각성을 파생하고 그것의 의학적 치료 속에서 새로운 회복 탄력성의 희망을 제공한다. 이에 더하여, 기독교 여성실천신학의 생태적 관계 속에서 사회와 환경의 지속가능한 회복 가능성을 제공한다. 연구자는 코로나-19 시대의 침체와 우울감을 절망과 통합의 기독교교육적 내러티브 속에서 해석학적 대안으로 제안한다. 특히 의학과 신학의 융합교육 과정 개발은 노인세대를 위한 의료선교와 코로나-19 시대의 새로운 교육적 모형으로 제네바대학교가 제공하는 역사적 사례로서 칼빈의 MOOC 강좌를 사례를 통해 제공된다. 이와 같은 의학과 신학의 융합 교육과 연구의 개발 성과는 코로나-19의 심각성을 극복하며 신앙공동체의 새로운 회복과 복지를 위한 기독교교육의 도덕적 함의를 제공함으로 의미 있는 공헌을 하게 된다.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.3.1-3.10
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• 2023

Characterization as well as prediction of the secondary and tertiary structure of hypothetical proteins from their amino acid sequences uploaded in databases by in silico approach are the critical issues in computational biology. Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which is responsible for pneumonia alike diseases, possesses a wide range of proteins of which many are still uncharacterized. The current study was conducted to reveal the physicochemical characteristics and structures of an uncharacterized protein Q6S8D9_SARS of SARS-CoV. Following the common flowchart of characterizing a hypothetical protein, several sophisticated computerized tools e.g., ExPASy Protparam, CD Search, SOPMA, PSIPRED, HHpred, etc. were employed to discover the functions and structures of Q6S8D9_SARS. After delineating the secondary and tertiary structures of the protein, some quality evaluating tools e.g., PROCHECK, ProSA-web etc. were performed to assess the structures and later the active site was identified also by CASTp v.3.0. The protein contains more negatively charged residues than positively charged residues and a high aliphatic index value which make the protein more stable. The 2D and 3D structures modeled by several bioinformatics tools ensured that the proteins had domain in it which indicated it was functional protein having the ability to trouble host antiviral inflammatory cytokine and interferon production pathways. Moreover, active site was found in the protein where ligand could bind. The study was aimed to unveil the features and structures of an uncharacterized protein of SARS-CoV which can be a therapeutic target for development of vaccines against the virus. Further research are needed to accomplish the task.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.123-132
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• 2023

Background: Pseudotyped virus systems that incorporate viral proteins have been widely employed for the rapid determination of the effectiveness and neutralizing activity of drug and vaccine candidates in biosafety level 2 facilities. We report an efficient method for producing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus with dual luciferase and fluorescent protein reporters. Moreover, using the established method, we also aimed to investigate whether Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), a valuable Korean herbal medicine, can attenuate infectivity of the pseudotyped virus. Methods: A pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-2pv) was constructed and efficiently produced using lentivirus vector systems available in the public domain by the introduction of critical mutations in the cytoplasmic tail of the spike protein. KRG extract was dose-dependently treated to Calu-3 cells during SARS2-pv treatment to evaluate the protective activity against SARS-CoV-2. Results: The use of Calu-3 cells or the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in HEK293T cells enabled SARS-2pv infection of host cells. Coexpression of transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2), which is the activator of spike protein, with ACE2 dramatically elevated luciferase activity, confirming the importance of the TMPRSS2-mediated pathway during SARS-CoV-2 entry. Our pseudovirus assay also revealed that KRG elicited resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung cells, suggesting its beneficial health effect. Conclusion: The method demonstrated the production of SARS-2pv for the analysis of vaccine or drug candidates. When KRG was assessed by the method, it protected host cells from coronavirus infection. Further studies will be followed for demonstrating this potential benefit.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권9호
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• pp.746-753
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• 2023

바이러스성 전염병은 전 세계 공중 보건에 가장 큰 위협 중 하나로 간주된다. 최근 중증급성호흡기증후군 코로나바이러스-2(SARS-CoV-2)로 인한 COVID-19 대유행은 신종 바이러스 감염의 위협을 극명하게 상기시켜 주었다. 효율적인 백신과 치료제 개발 및 생산은 팬데믹을 퇴치할 수 있는 유일한 대안일 것이며 COVID-19 대유행은 새로운 바이러스성 질병을 통제하고 예방하기 위한 새로운 백신 플랫폼의 필요성을 보여주었다. 기존의 백신 플랫폼인 약독화 생백신, 불활성화 백신은 백신 개발 속도, 제조 등이 광범위한 백신 적용을 위한 긴급 사용에 한계가 있다. 흥미롭게도, COVID-19 예방을 위한 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-지질나노입자(LNP) 플랫폼은 기존 백신 플랫폼 한계에 대한 효과적인 대안임이 확인되었다. 또한 COVID-19 mRNA 핵산 백신과 나노입자 기반 플랫폼은 SARS-CoV-2 및 변종 SARS-CoV-2 모두에 효과적인 백신임이 확인되었다. 이 논문에서는 mRNA 백신, 디지털 백신 및 나노입자백신 등의 차세대 백신 플랫폼을 중점으로 백신 기술 및 플랫폼의 장단점에 대해 기술하였다.