• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.204-215
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors affecting the carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infection control performance of nursing staff, who closely contact patients with CRE in long-term care hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 135 nursing staffs working in seven long-term care hospitals in the southern and northern areas of the K province in Korea were included. We measured the CRE infection control general characteristics, knowledge, perception, and performance. Results: The main factors affecting the CRE infection control performance were education, knowledge, and perception. The model explained the 60.8% total variance in CRE infection control. Conclusion: Appropriate infection control strategies should be prepared to provide high quality nursing care and prevent the spread of CRE infection in long-term care hospitals. Establishing an efficient infection control system in long-term care hospitals is necessary.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers A
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 1999

This study investigates the population model of the spread of HIV/AIDS which the infection is generated by an infectious individual in a population of susceptible. A mathematical model is presented for the transmission dynamics of HIV infection within the communities of homosexual males. The pattern on the epidemic character of HIV, the causative agent of AIDS, was analysed by the mathematical model of AIDS system which is derived according to the ecological relationship between five epidemilogic states of individuals. The computer simulation was performed using real data and the following conclusions are drawn on the basis of the simulations. 1. The model structure and the algorithm described n the thesis is good. 2. In proportion to increase Ro, the population of AIDS patient increases and the time of its widespread reaches earlier. 3. The AIDS patients will be maximum between 7 and 21 years after an attack of AIDS and widespread between 10 and 20 years. 4. Considering the properties of the incubation periods, the maximum number of infected person is increased, and the attack rate is decreased.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.18-30
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• 2022

Purpose: Purpose: This study aimed to identify whether infection control practice would correlate significantly with the knowledge and attitude of infection control in the pre-, mid-, and postvisiting rounds among community-visiting nurses. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted based on the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) model by administrating questionnaires during September-October 2020. A total of 65 nurses working for 15 community health centers in Seoul, South Korea were included. The questionnaires were developed based on the epidemiologic triangle model and comprised of 28 items on practice, 18 items on knowledge, and 10 items on attitude. Results: The infection control practice showed a mean of 88.9 (range, 0-100). The infection control knowledge had 89.2% on the host domain, 80.0% on the environment domain, and 74.8% on the agent domain (range, 0-100). The infection control attitude showed a mean of 39.5 (range, 0-50). Higher scores on the infection control practice are significantly correlated with the higher scores on the infection control knowledge about the host domain (p= .004) at the pre-, mid-, and post-visiting rounds. Higher scores on the infection control practice are significantly correlated with the higher scores on the infection control attitude at the mid- (p= .018) and postvisiting rounds (p= .028). Conclusions: The infection control practice by community-visiting nurses may be enhanced with increased knowledge and attitude levels of infection control at the mid- and post-visiting rounds. The enhancement should be included in the on-the-job education for community-visiting nurses.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.213-219
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• 2009

An understanding of anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum) infections, including the infection of flowers and latent infection early in the season, is necessary to achieve successful control by means of properly timed spraying with a curative fungicide. In the present study, latent anthracnose infection of chili was investigated under greenhouse and field conditions in 2007-2008. Flowers on greenhouse-grown seedlings were infected and 11% of the young fruits subsequently showed symptoms of anthracnose. Apparently healthy-looking green peppers obtained from unsprayed fields or an organic market also exhibited symptoms of anthracnose after 4 days of incubation under high moisture conditions at $25^{\circ}C$; less than 1% of the peppers were found to be latently infected. To determine the natural timing of infection in the field, 3,200 fruits were wrapped in paper bags and then selectively unwrapped and examined for signs of infection. Field experiments were conducted at Suwon (cvs. Yokkang, Manitta, Olympic) and Asan (cv. Chunhasangsa) in 2008. The 7- to 10-day wrapping periods were July 25-31, July 31-August 7, August 7-15, August 15-24, and August 24-September 3. The 1-to 2-month wrapping periods were from July 4, July 31, and August 15 until harvest (Sept. 3). The controls consisted of 1,712 field-grown non-wrapped fruits. The rates of infection on the various cultivars were Yokkang 55%, Manitta 37%, Olympic 55%, and Chunhasangsa 20%. A distinct period in which anthracnose infection suddenly increased could not be identified; however, attempts to guess the approximate timing of field infection showed that 0-39% of the plants had latent infections, while depending on the cultivar, 8-14% of the plants examined in August and 4-13.5% of the those examined during May-July showed symptoms of infection. Delaying fungicide spraying by 24 and 48 h after artificial infection decreased the rates of infection by 10% and 25-30%, respectively. Chemical control of anthracnose based on a forecasting model should be considered starting from the transplanting stage, with spraying within a day after warning and care being taken not to latently infect apparently healthy pepper fruits.

• Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.1071-1086
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• 2005

In this paper, we introduce a discrete time to the model to describe the time between infection of a CD4$^{+}$ T-cells, and the emission of viral particles on a cellular level. We study the effect of the time delay on the stability of the endemically infected equilibrium, criteria are given to ensure that the infected equilibrium is asymptotically stable for all delay. We also obtain the condition for existence of an orbitally asymptotically stable periodic solution.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.282-288
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• 2003

It is known that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection, which causes AIDS after some latent period, is a dynamic process that can be modeled mathematically. Effects of available anti-viral drugs, which prevent HIV from infecting healthy cells, can also be included in the model. In this paper we illustrate control theory can be applied to a model of HIV infection. In particular, the drug dose is regarded as control input and the goal is to excite an immune response so that the symptom of infected patient should not be developed into AIDS. Finite horizon optimal control is employed to obtain the optimal schedule of drug dose since the model is highly nonlinear and we want maximum performance for enhancing the immune response. From the simulation studies, we found that gradual reduction of drug dose is important for the optimality. We also demonstrate the obtained open-loop optimal control is vulnerable to parameter variation of the model and measurement noise. To overcome this difficulty, we finally present nonlinear receding horizon control to incorporate feedback in the drug treatment.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1951-1956
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• 2003

It is known that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection, which causes AIDS after some latent period, is a dynamic process that can be modeled mathematically. Effects of available anti-viral drugs, which prevent HIV from infecting healthy cells, can also be included in the model. In this paper we illustrate control theory can be applied to a model of HIV infection. In particular, the drug dose is regarded as control input and the goal is to excite an immune response so that the symptom of infected patient should not be developed into AIDS. Finite horizon optimal control is employed to obtain the optimal schedule of drug dose since the model is highly nonlinear and we want maximum performance for enhancing the immune response. From the simulation studies, we find that gradual reduction of drug dose is important for the optimality. We also demonstrate the obtained open-loop optimal control is vulnerable to parameter variation of the model and measurement noise. To overcome this difficulty, we finally present nonlinear receding horizon control to incorporate feedback in the drug treatment.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test hand hygiene behavior model of hospital nurses, based on theory of planned behavior. Methods: Data were collected from 253 nurses from four university hospitals for the period of December 2010 to January 2011. Data were analyzed using of SAS (ver.9.1). Fitness of the study model was identified with SAS PROC CALIS. Results: The overall fitness was $x^2$=57.81 (df=13, $p$ <.001), GFI=.99, AGFI=.99, CFI=.95, NFI=.93. The variance of actual implementation of hand hygiene by predictor variables was 11.0% and the variance of intention to hand hygiene was 53.5%. Variable that had a direct effect on hand hygiene behavior was intention. Perceived behavior control and attitude affected hand hygiene behavior indirectly. Control belief had a direct effect on perceived behavior control and had an indirect effect on intention and behavior. Behavioral belief had a direct effect on attitude and an indirect effect on intention and behavior. Conclusion: The study provides basic information for understanding nurses' hand hygiene behavior. Further testing of the model will indicate which variables can contribute to improved hand hygiene.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.159-164
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• 2021

Background: Cupping is widely used in Korean medicine, but there is a risk of bacterial infection if the suction pump (used for inducing negative pressure) and the patients' skin are not separated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of layer cupping by comparing the pressure changes between layer cupping and conventional cupping. Methods: To evaluate pressure changes the study was designed with 3 types of conditions applied to a skin model: (1) a Dongbang cup with a manual or motor suction pump (conventional cupping); (2) layer cupping with 2 Dongbang cups; and (3) layer cupping with a cup made by 3D printing and a Dongbang cup. Results: When a manual suction pump was used (conventional cupping), the pressure did not decrease steadily, and in 1 section there was an increase in pressure. When layer cupping was used, the pressure in the lower cup (which would be directly applied to the patient's skin), decreased steadily. Conclusion: In the pressure change graph for layer cupping in this skin model, the pressure in the lower cup (which would be placed on the patient's skin) steadily decreased, and reached equilibrium. Therefore, the layer cupping model may help to reduce the risks of bacterial infection.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2002

Objective : To estimate the status of HIV infection and AIDS incidence using a back-calculation model in Korea. Methods : Back-calculation is a method for estimating the past infection rate using AIDS incidence data. The method has been useful for obtaining short-term projections of AIDS incidence and estimating previous HIV prevalence. If the density of the incubation periods is known, together with the AIDS incidence, we can estimate historical HIV infections and forecast AIDS incidence in any time period up to time t. In this paper, we estimated the number of HIV infections and AIDS incidence according to the distribution of various incubation periods Results : The cumulative numbers of HIV infection from 1991 to 1996 were $708{\sim}1,426$ in Weibull distribution and $918{\sim}1,980$ in Gamma distribution. The projected AIDS incidence in 1997 was $16{\sim}25$ in Weibull distribution and $13{\sim}26$ in Gamma distribution. Conclusions : The estimated cumulative HIV infections from 1991 to 1996 were $1.4{\sim}4.0$ times more than notified cumulative HIV infections. Additionally, the projected AIDS incidence in 1997 was less than the notified AIDS cases. The reason for this underestimation derives from the very low level of HIV prevalence in Korea, further research is required for the distribution of the incubation period of HIV infection in Korea, particularly for the effects of combination treatments.