• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.301-319
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• 2016

The evolutionary process of the polar low, which caused the heavy snowfall in the East Coast area on 11~12 February 2011, was investigated to describe in detail using synoptic weather charts, satellite imageries, and ERA (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis) -Interim reanalysis data. It was revealed that 1) the polar low was generated over the sea near Busan where a large cyclonic shear in the inverted trough branched from the parent low existed, 2) during the developing and mature stages, there was a convectively unstable region in the lower layer around the polar low and its south side, 3) the polar low was developed in the region where the static stability in the 500~850 hPa layer was the lowest, 4) the result from the budget analysis of the vorticity equation indicated that the increase in the vorticity at the lower atmosphere, where the polar low was located, was dominated mainly by the stretching term, 5) the warm core structure of the polar low was identified in the surface-700 hPa layer during the mature stage, 6) there was a close inverse relationship between a development of the polar low and the height of the dynamic tropopause over the polar low, and 7) for generation and development of the polar low, large-scale circulation systems, such as upper cold low and its combined short wave trough, major low (parent low), and polar air outbreak, should be presented, indicating that the polar low has the nature of the baroclinic disturbance.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 2013

Objectives: Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite, has been recognized as a frequent cause of waterborne disease due to its extremely strong resistance against chlorine disinfection. Although there has as yet been no report of a Cryptosporidium outbreak through drinking water in Korea, it is important to estimate the health risk of Cryptosporidium in water supply systems because of the various infection cases in human and domestic animals and frequent detection reports on their oocysts in water environments. Methods: This study evaluated the annual infection risk of Cryptosporidium in tap water using the quantitative microbial risk assessment technique. Exposure assessment was performed upon the results of a national survey on Cryptosporidium on the water sources of 97 large-scale water purification plants in Korea, water treatment efficacy, and daily unboiled tap water consumption. The estimates of the US Environmental Protection Agency on the mean likelihood of infection from ingesting one oocyst were applied for effect assessment. Results: Using probabilistic methods, mean annual infection risk of Cryptosporidiosis by the intake of tap water was estimated to fall within the range of $2.3{\times}10^{-4}$ to $1.0{\times}10^{-3}$ (median $5.7{\times}10^{-4}$). The risk in using river sources was predicted to be four times higher than with lake sources. With 0.5-log higher removal efficacy, the risk was estimated to be $1.8{\times}10^{-4}$, and could then be lowered by one-third. Conclusions: These estimations can be compared with acceptable risk and then used to determine the adequacy and priority of various drinking water quality strategies such as the establishment of new treatment technology.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.181-197
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• 2021

Objectives : This study reports a 42-year old female inpatient who visited for recurrent herpes zoster on the right hand and right side of the face on 5 days after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. She already had 2 times of herpes zoster prior to this outbreak. Methods : During 10 days of hospitalization, both treatments were simultaneously applied to her. For Korean medical treatment, acupuncture, herbal medicine including Sipjeondaebo-tang, and Hominis Placenta pharmacopuncture were mainly used. Collaborating with internal medicine of our hospital, essential medications for herpes zoster including antihistamine, corticosteroid, and acyclovir were administered. To assess symptoms, taking photos and numerical rating scale(NRS) were used. Results : On the 3rd day of hospitalization, erythema on the right hand disappeared. On the 4th day, discomfort arisen by zoster lesions dropped from NRS 8, which was initially evaluated, to NRS 0. Facial lesion also steadily improved. At the moment of discharge, erythema on the right side of oral angle disappeared and mild traces of vesicular lesions remained on the right hand. Conclusions : Considering her medical history, the recent recurrent herpes zoster was suspected as an adverse event of COVID-19 vaccination. Unlike general course of herpes zoster, the skin lesions and discomfort were rapidly improved owing to the collaborated treatment during the 10 days. This study may be the first literature on herpes zoster following COVID-19 vaccination in Korea.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.216-222
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• 2022

Background: This study assessed the psychological impact of the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on university hospital nurses. It provides an assessment of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, distress, and burnout of nurses dealing directly and indirectly with COVID-19. Methods: In a web-based, cross-sectional study, 111 nurses from Daegu Catholic University Hospital in Korea were enrolled from August 4 to August 9, 2020. Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Maslach Burnout Inventory were used to assess the psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and burnout among the study participants. Results: Of 111 nurses, 35 (31.5%), nine (8.1%), 26 (23.4%), and 49 (44.1%) experienced depression, anxiety, distress, and burnout, respectively. Nurses who performed COVID-19-related tasks were more likely to have moderate depression (related vs. unrelated, 52.0% vs. 25.6%; p=0.037). There were no differences in anxiety, distress, and burnout between nurses with and without COVID-19-related tasks. More than 50% of the participants showed receptive and positive attitudes toward caring for COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Nurses who performed COVID-19-related tasks had a higher risk of depression. There were no significant differences in anxiety, distress, and burnout between the two groups. Since nurses who perform COVID-19-related tasks are more prone to psychological distress, continued psychiatric interventions are required for infectious disease outbreaks with a high mortality rate for healthcare workers who are emotionally vulnerable.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.170-178
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing post-traumatic stress disorder in intensive care unit nurses in dedicated hospitals for coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) during the peak of the outbreak. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional correlational design. A total of 100 participants completed questionnaires comprising the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), coping strategy indicator, social support, and post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic stress disorder was classified as normal, mild risk, and high risk. Data were analyzed using 𝛘² test, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test with multiple comparison analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multinominal logistic regression analysis. Results: Fifty seven nurses (57.0%) had a high risk of post-traumatic stress. Higher levels of post traumatic stress were associated with higher levels of social support seeking, and higher levels of avoidance, and lower levels of social support from supervisors. Higher post traumatic growth was correlated with higher social support for seeking coping, and problem solving coping strategies, and social support from supervisors and colleagues. Post-traumatic stress risk was associated with social support seeking and supervisors' social support. In addition, a higher risk of post-traumatic stress was related to COVID-19 work duration and supervisors' social support. Conclusion: Supportive programs, including increasing social support and building coping skills, may be suggested to safeguard the mental health of critical care nurses during the pandemic.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2022

Objectives: In the epidemiology of communicable diseases, the term epidemic period, also referred to as "wave" is often used in the general and academic milieu. A wave refers to a natural pattern of increase in the number of sick individuals, a defined peak, and then a decline in the number of cases. It implies a pattern of peaks and valleys after a particular peak is taken. The idea of epidemic waves is a useful tool for predicting the course as well as helping to accurately describe an epidemic. However, in many domestic and foreign news as well as in various research results in Korea, most of the reports either had no standard, were inaccurate, had a questionable classification of the period of the epidemic, or the basis for classification of a given wave was not presented. Methods: The author reviewed and organized related literature with epidemic wave. The author made several suggestions of an epidemic wave as follows. Results: To start with, it should be based on the number of incident cases in consideration of the size of the outbreak, then the period from the bottom to the peak and then reaching the next bottom; also, the period over a certain scale based on the number of incident cases; and the period according to the change in the major infection type (mutation-dominant species). In addition, according to the period of change in the vaccination rate (formation of herd immunity), as well as the content and duration of the intervention, that is, classification according to the applied quarantine stage. Furthermore, the classification of epidemic periods by the time-dependent reproduction number or time-varying reproduction number (Rt), and lastly the application of mathematical methodology. Conclusions: Therefore, classifying the epidemic period into generally known and accepted time frames is considered to be a very important task for future research analysis and development of intervention strategies.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.29-39
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• 2022

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the Vietnamese economy. In the midst of a complex disease that compelled people to limit their interaction, customers' shopping habits shifted from "offline" to "online" transactions. Mobile payments have also grown in popularity. The goal of this study is to figure out what factors influence the use of mobile payments by hotel clients in Can Tho after COVID-19. The research team also examines how those factors influence customers' willingness to use mobile payment and makes recommendations to better the current situation. Primary data was collected from 227 persons using online surveys and processed with SPSS software for this study. To analyze the correlation relationship between the elements determining the intention to use, the Cronbach alpha, EFA, Correlation, and Regression methods used to assess the scale are applied. Perceived Trustworthiness, Perceived Usefulness, and Perceived Ease of Use all have positive effects on customers' propensity to use, according to the findings. Perceived Security, on the other hand, has no bearing. The findings of this study have significant theoretical and practical implications for the development of mobile payment services in Can Tho, particularly following the implementation of COVID-19.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to determine the issues of supplementation and improvement to prepare for the outbreak of new infectious diseases such as new variants of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to guide work for a strategic new response to infectious disease. Public officials of Jeju Special Self-governing Province and health personnel responding to COVID-19, working at six public health centers in Jeju-do region were administered a survey about additional preparations to be made in the future, based on the period when COVID-19 was treated legally as a first-class infectious disease. Frequency analysis was conducted on the collected data. The Likert 5-point scale and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the scores for effective response to emerging infectious diseases according to demographics. Among the important factors identified for effective response to new infectious diseases, 'facilitation of cooperation with public institutions' and 'facilitation of cooperation with private institutions' had the highest scores. In the future, when a patient presents with a new infectious disease, the step that needs to be supplemented in each phase of the public health center's response is 'immediate response team operation'. Further, public health centers responded that 'expansion of dedicated personnel related to infectious diseases' needs to be improved to respond to new infectious diseases. Along with the results of this study, considering the difficulties experienced by health personnel responding to new infectious diseases in preparation for future outbreaks of new infectious diseases, and to respond effectively, detailed and clear guidelines for responding to quarantine of patients of new infectious diseases will be needed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of stress on psychosocial wellbeing at the time of an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS) and to investigate the effect of resilience as a mediator on the relationship between stress and psychosocial wellbeing. Methods : Perceived Stress Scale, Psychosocial Wellbeing Index Short Form, and the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale was implemented for 156 medical persons who worked at the hospital in which exposure to MERS cases had been confirmed and 127 ordinary people. We conducted a Pearson correlation coefficient and a hierarchical multiple regression to confirm the effect of stress on psychosocial wellbeing and the mediating effect of resilience between stress and psychosocial wellbeing. Results : The higher the perceived stress, the lower the psychosocial wellbeing in both healthcare workers and the public. The higher the perceived stress, the lower the resilience and the research results showed that there was a partially mediating effect of resilience in the relationship between stress and psychosocial wellbeing. Conclusions : This study demonstrated that the degree of individual resilience can indirectly give a positive effect on the psychosocial wellbeing when people under the stress by MERS shows adverse effects on psychosocial wellbeing. This suggests that clinical intervention and psychosocial approach aiming at strengthening resilience is important to maintain mental health during crisis development.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

The community bridge node finder, based on the stochastic method of network analysis, can compute hubs spot, which would enable the use of network structures with limited information. However, applying this node finder to heterogeneity networks, which are efficient to analyze the main farm complex in fields and the spread of infectious disease, is difficult. These problems, The most connected point that is called hub is often a major role in the heterogeneity network. In this study, we therefore improved the community bridge node finder to enable it to be applied to heterogeneity networks. We attempted to calculate the bridge node quantitatively by using the modularity of cohesion analysis method and the community bridge node finder. Application of the improved method to the HPAI(Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) spread in Korea 2008 produced a quarantine coefficient that was 4 - 37% higher than the quarantine coefficient obtained with the centrality method for the first 14 days after the HPAI outbreak. We concluded that the improved method has the ability to successfully calculate the bridge node in heterogeneity networks based on network structures with scant information, such as those describing the spread of infectious disease in domestic animals. And Our method should be capable to find main farm complex in fields.