ABSTRACT
In with the spread of COVID-19, the use of technology-based services that minimize face-to-face is increasing. In this context, the food delivery app (FDA) is characterized by minimizing face-to-face contact in the process of consumers ordering and receiving food. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to find out the mechanism that affects the intention of continuous use based on PAM for FDA users. The study sample selected residents of Korea who were over 20 years of age and used the FDA at least once in the past three months. Data collection was carried out for about one month from January 18 to February 12, 2020. Structural equation model analysis was conducted using 261 of the collected data. The results are expected to add depth to the research field related to the app-based O2O service area, and to be used as data that can contribute to the establishment of platform business strategies. Copyright © 2022 IGI Global.
ABSTRACT
Smart airports have been emerged due to the fourth industrial revolution and the development of the aviation industry. The advent of smart airports makes it possible for the airports to accommodate more and more flight travelers than ever. The researcher conducted a study to investigate users' information sharing intentions according to the technology readiness and integrated technology acceptance theories due to the expansion of unmanned services resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeting airplane travelers through smart airports over the last three years, the researcher collected 370 survey responses. Among them, 354 answers were valid with the exclusion of 16 responses to improve the validity of the research analysis. The researcher used statistics programs such as SPSS (version 22) and AMOS (version 22) to measure frequency, validity, reliability analysis, and route analysis. Sub-variables of positive technology readiness, such as optimism and innovativeness, significantly affect performance expectation and attempt expectation, social status, and facilitating conditions, which are sub-variables of UTAUT. In contrast, optimism does not affect facilitating conditions. Besides, the research findings imply that UTAUT does affect information-sharing intentions. The researcher clarified the effects of positive technology readiness and expanded technology acceptance intentions and their relationships to information sharing intentions based on research results. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry is mediated by the interaction of the viral spike (S) protein with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the host cell surface Although a clinical trial testing soluble ACE2 (sACE2) for COVID-19 is currently ongoing, our understanding of the delivery of sACE2 via small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) is still rudimentary. With excellent bio-compatibility allowing for the effective delivery of molecular cargos, sEVs are broadly studied as nanoscale protein carriers. In order to exploit the potential of sEVs, we design truncated CD9 scaffolds to display sACE2 on the sEV surface as a decoy receptor for the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 Moreover, to enhance the sACE2-S bind- ing interaction, we employ sACE2 variants. sACE2-loaded sEVs exhibit typical sEVs characteristics and bind to the S protein. Furthermore, engineered sEVs inhibit the entry ofwild-type (WT), the globally dominant D614G variant, Beta (K417N-E484K- N501Y) variant, and Delta (L452R-T478K-D614G) variant SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, and protect against authentic SARS-CoV-2 and Delta variant infection. Of note, sACE2 variants harbouring sEVs show superior antiviral efficacy than WT sACE2 loaded sEVs. Therapeutic efficacy of the engineered sEVs against SARS-CoV-2 chal-lenge was confirmed using K18-hACE2 mice. The current findings provide opportu- nities for the development of new sEVs-based antiviral therapeutics.
ABSTRACT
Due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the demand for face masks is soaring and has often caused a shortage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UV) and drying treatments on microbial contaminants in facial masks. To conduct this study, standard procedures were designed to develop samples contaminated by the control bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The contamination level of the standard samples was approximately 6.30 × 106 CFU/ml, and the UV light treatment was performed 1, 3, 5, and 7 times. To evaluate the effect of the UV and drying treatments, the masks were first treated with UV 1, 2, and 3 times, followed by the drying process. As a result, the mask contaminated with E. coli and P. aeruginosa showed a bacterial rate of approximately 99.9% after 1 UV irradiation, and in the case of the S. aureus-contaminated mask, it exhibited a bactericidal rate of approximately 99.9% after 7 UV irradiations. However, when the drying process was included after UV irradiation, all the samples contaminated with E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa showed a bactericidal rate of 99.9% or more. The results of this study suggest that UV and drying treatments can effectively reduce the bacterial contaminants in facial masks. In addition, these results provide fundamental data and appropriate sterilization methods for reusing masks.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by the recently identified coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2, is leading patients to death (mortality: ∼7%) because of cytokine storm. COVID-19 induces excessivesecretion of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines accompanied by the disruption of the bronchi and alveoli, which could ultimately develop into permanent lung impairments such as pulmonary fibrosis. To regulate theuncontrolled expression of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines, improved cell-permeable nuclear import inhibitor(iCP-NI) has been developed by fusing sequence-optimized hydrophobic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), namelyadvanced macromolecule transduction domain (aMTD) with nuclear localization signal (NLS) of stress responsivetranscription factors (SRTFs: NF-κB, STAT1/3, AP-1, and NFAT). Intracellularly delivered NLS is supposed tosuppress expression of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines by inhibiting transport of SRTFs from cytoplasm intonucleus. iCP-NI regulated expression of cytokines (TNF-α: -79%, IL-6: -91%, IL-12: -110% and IL-10: +574%) andchemokines (MCP-1: -89%) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALFs) from RNA virus infection mimetic pneumonitisanimals that were induced with inhalation of RNA structure molecule, poly I:C. iCP-NI also significantly decreasedpulmonary fibrosis (-61%) in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis animals. Moreover, iCP-NI protected leukocytes(CD3+ T cell: 100%, CD4+/CD3+ T cell: 96%, B220+ B cell: 85%, CD45+ macrophage: 100%) and reducedapoptotic splenocytes (-97%) in staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and poly I:C-induced acute pneumonitisanimals. These results suggest that iCP-NI has potential as a novel therapeutic measurement for inflammationcaused by various infectious diseases including COVID-19 accompanied with cytokine storm and severe sepsis.