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NANOSCALE TRANSPORT PHYSICS: MOLECULAR INSIGHTS INTO FLUID FLOW AND INTERFACIAL DYNAMICS
Nanoscale transport physics: Molecular insights into fluid flow and interfacial dynamics (May 2025) Md Masuduzzaman Nanoscale transport physics is governed by molecular interactions that alter the behavior of fluids under extreme confinement. In channels narrower than a few nanometers, continuum-based models are no longer sufficient to describe key transport phenomena such as electroosmotic flow (EOF), as they fail to capture ion-specific effects, discrete charge distributions, and interface-dominated dynamics. Understanding these deviations requires atomistic approaches that can resolve the structure, energetics, and motion of confined water and ions at the molecular scale. This study employs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate EOF in aqueous NaCl solutions confined within single-layer graphene nanochannels with heights below 5 nm. Simulations are performed under varying surface charge densities and applied electric fields to examine how confinement, interfacial structure, and electrostatic interactions affect the fluid and ion transport properties. The results reveal significant deviations from classical Poisson-Boltzmann and Helmholtz-Smoluchowski predictions. In particular, ion distributions near charged surfaces become asymmetric due to disrupted hydration structures, while the local viscosity increases due to layering effects, leading to suppressed and nonlinear flow profiles. Spatial variations in viscosity, diffusivity, and charge density are extracted from the MD simulations and used to refine the continuum- level Poisson-Stokes framework. A revised definition of the solid/fluid boundary, based on molecular layering rather than geometric assumptions, improves the accuracy of velocity and electroosmotic mobility predictions across a range of confinement and field conditions. The modified model captures electro-viscous effects and interfacial resistance that arise under strong confinement and high electric field conditions. The results identify two distinct regimes of EOF behavior: one consistent with linear electrokinetic theory under weak confinement, and another governed by nonlinear interactions and molecular ordering near interfaces. These insights advance the understanding of nanoscale fluid transport by bridging atomic-level phenomena with macroscopic flow behavior. The findings provide a quantitative framework for modeling EOF in nanofluidic systems and support the design of electrokinetic technologies in applications ranging from ionic separation and sensing to semiconductor device interfaces.Docto
Therapeutic potential of iPSC-CEC-derived mitochondrial transfer in restoring corneal endothelial function
Mitochondrial stress and dysfunction significantly impact cellular functions and contribute to the pathology of a variety of diseases, including Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). Recent studies in mitochondrial therapeutics highlight the potential of stem cell-derived mitochondria in restoring cellular homeostasis. This study investigates whether mitochondria isolated from induced pluripotent stem cell-derived corneal endothelial cells (iPSC-CECs) can alleviate inflammation-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and promote functional recovery of damaged corneal endothelial cells (CECs).
Inflammatory conditions were induced in iPSC-CECs and rabbit CECs (RCECs) by treating with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Mitochondrial morphology and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed by confocal microscopy and DCFH-DA staining. We also evaluate the influence of mitochondrial delivery on cellular function using an in vitro scratch assay and Western blot. To assess the effect of mitochondrial treatment on inflammatory response, qPCR was performed to quantify the expression of TNF-α and IL-6. For in vivo assessment, a rabbit model of Descemet’s membrane (DM) scraping was established, followed by anterior chamber injection of iPSC-CECs-derived mitochondria. Corneal transparency, thickness, and opacity scoring were evaluated up to day 14.
Mitochondrial transplantation restored a fused mitochondrial network and reduced ROS accumulation under inflammatory stress. In addition, qPCR results showed that mitochondrial treatment led to a decrease in IL-6 and TNF- α mRNA levels. Enhanced wound healing and cell proliferation were observed in vitro. Moreover, Western blot analysis showed increased levels of p-AKT and p-ERK, suggesting activation of pro-survival pathways. In vivo, mitochondrial injection into the DM-scraped rabbit cornea led to improved corneal transparency, reduced edema, and decreased opacity scores compared to untreated controls.
iPSC-CECs-derived mitochondria restore mitochondrial integrity, mitigate inflammation, and enhance corneal endothelial function in both in vitro and in vivo models. These findings support the therapeutic potential of stem cell-derived mitochondrial transplantation in treating corneal endothelial dysfunction and advancing cell-free regenerative strategies in ophthalmology.Maste
Mutation spectrum and clinical phenotypes of patients with Kallmann syndrome and normosmic isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism using next-generation sequencing techniques
Background: Isolated gonadotropin-releasing hormone deficiency (IGD) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder caused by >60 genes, resulting in a broad range of clinical manifestations and classified into Kallmann syndrome (KS) with anosmia and normosmic isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (nIHH). There have been no comprehensive data on the clinical and molecular spectrum of patients with IGD in Korea. This study aimed to investigate clinical characteristics, endocrinological findings, and molecular spectrum of patients with IGD in Korea.
Methods: This study included 75 patients with IGD (43 with KS, 27 with nIHH, and 5 prepubertal children with anosmia or micropenis). Clinical features and endocrine findings were retrospectively analyzed. Genetic testing was performed using Sanger sequencing for select genes (n = 37), targeted gene panel sequencing (n = 25), whole-exome sequencing (n = 28), or whole-genome sequencing (n = 16). Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis for ANOS1 was carried out in 29 patients. One neonate with Xp22 deletion detected by G-scanning was included. Sequence variants were categorized as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, variants of uncertain significance (VUS), likely benign, or benign according to the standards and guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology.
Results: The median age at diagnosis was 15.1 years (range 3 months–31.3 years) and mean follow-up duration was 4.7 ± 3.8 years. Among 60 male patients, 44 (73.3%) had a history of micropenis, 19 (31.7%) with cryptorchidism, and one patient (1.7%) with hypospadias. Commonly observed non-reproductive phenotypes included renal anomalies (7/29, 24.1%), obesity (16/75, 21.3%), and hearing loss (15/75, 20.0%). Forty-four patients (58.7%) harbored rare sequence variants, with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 28 patients (37.3%) and VUSs in 16 patients (21.3%), whereas 4 patients (5.3%) harbored structural variations. The most common causative gene of IGD was FGFR1, followed by ANOS1 and CHD7. Four novel pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were identified in FGFR1 and PROKR2.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that IGD patients can manifest diverse phenotypic spectrum from micropenis in the neonatal period to Kallmann syndrome in adolescents. Despite various genetic tests, molecular etiologies were identified in approximately 50% of our cohort, suggesting that further researches are required to elucidate more insights into the genetic basis of IGD, such as the roles of epigenetic modifications and variants in non-coding regions.Maste
A Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Emotion Coaching Programs
본 연구는 감정코칭 프로그램이 아동과 청소년의 정서 및 사회적 발달에 미치는 효과를 체계적으로 검토하기 위해 메타분석을 실시하였다. 이를 위해 2013년부터 2025년 1월까지 발표된 국내 감정코칭 프로그램 관련 연구 24편에서 도출된 총 40 개의 효과크기를 분석하였다. 분석은 프로그램의 전체 효과크기와 더불어, 조절변인 (연령, 개입유형) 및 종속변인(사회성, 자아, 정서, 자기조절)에 따른 효과 차이를 중심으로 이루어졌다. 조절변인 중 연령은 발달 단계에 따른 심리·정서적 특성의 차이를 고려하여 유아 기, 아동기, 청소년기의 세 집단으로 구분하였다. 이는 각 시기의 정서인식 능력, 자 기조절 전략, 대인관계 양상 등이 상이하여 감정코칭 프로그램의 효과성에 차이가 나타날 수 있다는 이론적 배경에 기반한 것이다. 개입유형은 감정코칭의 실행 방식 에 따라 정서인지 교육활동, 정서표현 활동, 신체표현 활동의 세 유형으로 범주화하 였으며, 이는 각기 다른 접근 방식이 프로그램 효과에 미치는 영향을 실증적으로 비 교·검토하기 위함이다. 종속변인은 감정코칭 프로그램의 심리·사회적 결과 변인으로 서 사회성, 자아, 정서, 자기조절 및 통제의 네 가지 영역으로 구분하였다. 각 효과 크기는 평균과 표준편차를 기반으로 산출된 표준화 평균차(Standardized Mean Difference)로 계산하였으며, 95% 신뢰구간과 이질성 지표(Q, I², τ²)를 통해 통계 적 유의성과 변량 수준을 검토하였다. 전체 평균 효과크기는 중간에서 큰 수준으로 나타나 감정코칭 프로그램의 전반적 인 효과성을 지지하였다. 조절변인 분석 결과, 연령에 따라 유아기 집단에서 가장 높 은 효과크기를 보였으며, 개입유형 중에서는 신체표현 활동이 가장 큰 효과를 나타 냈다. 종속변인별 분석에서는 사회성, 정서, 자아 관련 변인에서 높은 효과크기가 확 인되었고, 자기조절 및 통제 관련 변인에서는 상대적으로 낮은 효과가 나타났다. 이러한 결과는 감정코칭 프로그램이 발달 단계와 개입유형에 따라 효과성이 달라 질 수 있음을 시사하며, 향후 연령별 맞춤형 프로그램 설계 및 실천 전략 수립에 실 증적 근거를 제공한다. 또한, 본 연구는 기존 메타분석이 전체 평균 효과나 부모 중 심 개입에 치중되었던 한계를 보완하고, 아동·청소년 대상의 프로그램 효과를 조절 변인과 종속변인 수준에서 세분화하여 분석함으로써 감정코칭의 실제적 타당성과 교 육적 유용성을 한층 강화하였다. 이를 통해 향후 정서 개입 프로그램의 개발과 적용 에 구체적이고 실천적인 방향을 제시하였다는 점에서 학문적·현장 실천적 기여를 가 진다. 주제어: 감정코칭, 메타분석, 정서 교육, 자기조절, 사회성, 아동, 청소년Maste
Impact of Patient Activation on Quality of Life in Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy via Chemoport
본 연구는 케모포트를 통해 항암화학요법을 받는 대장암 환자의 환자 활성화와 삶의 질 정도를 확인하고 삶의 질에 미치는 영향요인을 규명하고자 시행된 서술적 조사연구이다. 서울 소재 A 상급종합병원 종양내과 외래에서 케모포트를 통해 항암화학요법을 받고 있는 대장암 환자 133명을 대상으로 하였으며, 구조화된 설문지를 이용하여 환자 활성화와 삶의 질을 조사하였다. 자료수집 기간은 2025년 3월 14일부터 4월 3일까지였으며, 수집된 자료는 IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0 프로그램을 이용하여 분석하였다. 본 연구 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 본 연구 대상자의 환자 활성화는 평균 57.00±13.90점(100점 만점)이었고, 환자 활성화 수준은 3수준 41명(30.8%), 2수준 38명(28.6%), 1수준 33명(24.8%), 4수준 21명(15.8%) 순으로 나타났다. 2. 삶의 질은 평균 82.99±18.17점(136점 만점)이었고, 하부영역의 신체영역은 19.91±5.48점(28점 만점), 사회/가족 영역은 15.55±5.09점(28점 만점), 정서 영역은 16.12±4.26점(24점 만점), 기능 영역은 14.37±5.75점(28점 만점), 대장암 특이 영역은 17.04±3.95점(28점 만점)이었다. 3. 대상자의 일반적 특성 및 임상 특성에 따른 환자 활성화의 차이는 교육정도(F=4.018, p=.020), 재발유무(t=2.026, p=.045), 항암화학요법 치료제 종류(F=4.250, p=.016), ECOG 활동수준(F=9.008, p<.001)에 따라 유의한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 4. 대상자의 일반적 특성 및 임상 특성에 따른 삶의 질의 차이는 결혼상태(t=- 2.484, p=.014), 재발유무(t=2.304, p=.023), 대장암 진단 후 경과기간(F=3.423, p=.019), 케모포트 과거 삽입력(t=-3.912, p<.001), 케모포트 부작용 경험(t=- 2.092, p=.038), ECOG 활동수준(F=4.167, p=.018)에 따라 유의한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 5. 본 연구 대상자의 삶의 질은 환자 활성화와 통계적으로 약한 양의 상관관계를 보였다(r=0.183, p=.035). 6. 다중 회귀분석을 시행한 결과, 항암화학요법을 받는 대장암 환자의 삶의 질에 미치는 영향요인으로 케모포트 과거 삽입력(β=-0.319, p<.001), 환자 활성화(β= 0.174, p=.035)로 나타났으며, 전체 설명력은 12.1%이었다(F=10.126, p<.001). 연구결과 항암화학요법을 받는 대장암 환자의 삶의 질에 미치는 영향요인은 케모포트 과거 삽입력과 환자 활성화로 확인되었다. 따라서 항암화학요법을 받는 대장암 환자가 치료과정에서 삶의 질을 증진시킬 수 있도록 케모포트 과거 삽입력이 있는 환자는 주의 깊은 관리가 필요하고, 환자 활성화를 향상시킬 수 있는 실제적이고 구체적인 간호중재 개발이 마련되어야 한다. 주요어 : 대장암, 항암화학요법, 환자 활성화, 삶의 질, 중심정맥관Maste
Real-time surface measurement technology for surgical environment monitoring
최근 의학 기술의 비약적인 발전은 현대인들의 삶의 질을 획기적으로 향상시키고 있다. 이러한 삶의 질에 대한 요구는 특히 의료 분야, 그 중에서도 수술 환자들에게도 적용되며, 보다 안전하고 효과적인 수술 환경에 대한 필요성을 불러일으켰다. 이러한 필요는 의료진과 환자 모두에게 긍정적인 영향을 미치며, 결과적으로 수술 기술과 수술 보조 기기의 발전을 가속화하는 촉매제가 되었다. 현재 다양한 수술 방법들이 계속해서 연구 및 개발되고 있으며, 그 중에서도 로봇 보조 수술 시스템의 도입은 특히 주목할 만하다. 로봇을 이용한 수술은 높은 정밀도와 최소 침습 수술의 이점으로 인해 현대 의학에서 점차 보편화되고 있다. 그러나 로봇의 높은 무게와 빠른 동작 속도는 예상치 못한 사고의 위험을 증가시킬 수 있으며, 이러한 이유로 환자의 안전을 최우선으로 고려해야 한다. 따라서, 수술 과정에서 로봇의 움직임을 제어하는 의사의 주의에 크게 의존할 수밖에 없는 상황이 발생한다. 또한, 로봇 팔의 움직임이 예측 불가능하거나 외부 환경 변화에 따라 안전을 위협할 가능성도 존재한다. 이로 인해 수술 중 의사와 로봇 간의 상호작용에서 불확실성을 최소화하는 기술적 접근이 필요한 상황이다. 이러한 문제점을 해결하고 수술 과정의 안전성을 더욱 강화하기 위해, 본 연구에서는 로봇 수술 환경에서 실시간 충돌 방지 시스템을 제안한다. 이 시스템은 Depth Camera 와 OTS(Optical Tracking System)를 활용하여 정밀한 캘리브레이션을 수행하고, 실시간으로 Point cloud 및 Mesh 데이터를 수집함으로써 충돌 가능성을 감지하고 예방할 수 있다. 실시간으로 수집된 데이터를 바탕으로, 수술 환경에서 로봇 팔과 환자의 상대적인 위치 및 움직임을 실시간으로 추적하며, 충돌이 발생할 수 있는 상황을 사전에 감지한다. 이러한 데이터를 기반으로 한 실시간 surface 측정 시스템은 환자와 수술 로봇 간의 충돌을 방지하는 데 효과적으로 기여할 것으로 기대된다. 또한, 이 시스템은 수술 중 예상치 못한 상황에 신속히 반응할 수 있도록 설계되어, 환자의 안전을 실시간으로 보장할 수 있다. 이는 기존의 로봇 수술 시스템의 한계를 보완하고, 환자의 안전을 보다 체계적이고 자동화된 방식으로 확보할 수 있는 중요한 기술적 진전으로 평가된다. 더 나아가, 이 연구는 로봇 수술 시스템을 더욱 발전시키는 중요한 이정표가 될 것으로 기대되며, 다양한 로봇 수술 환경에 적용할 수 있는 확장 가능성을 가진 기술로 자리 잡을 것이다. 궁극적으로는 이러한 시스템이 실시간으로 수술 중 발생할 수 있는 위험을 자동으로 감지하고, 이를 예방할 수 있는 중요한 도구가 될 것이다.Maste
The Impact of Childcare Teachers' Job Stress on Communication Skills: Focusing on the Mediating Effect of Emotional Intelligence
Childcare teachers play an important role in the growth and development of children, and their job stress can directly affect the quality of childcare. This is because job stress can have a negative effect on the communication skills of childcare teachers, causing difficulties in forming relationships with children as well as in communicating with parents and colleagues. Emotional intelligence can play an important role in effectively managing this stress and improving communication skills. This is because childcare teachers with high emotional intelligence can effectively control negative emotions caused by job stress and minimize conflicts through smooth communication with others.
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to verify whether emotional intelligence can play a mediating role in the effect of job stress on communication skills of childcare teachers. The research topics for this purpose are as follows.
Research question 1. What are the general levels of job stress, communication skills, and emotional intelligence among childcare teachers, and are there significant differences based on individual variables?
Research question 2. Is there a significant correlation between job stress, communication skills, and emotional intelligence among childcare teachers?
Research question 3. The effect of job stress on the communication skills of childcare teachers is related to emotional intelligence. Is it mediated by? Is the impact of job stress on communication skills among childcare teachers mediated by emotional intelligence?
Research question 3-1. Does job stress significantly affect communication skills among childcare teachers?
Research question 3-2. Does job stress significantly affect emotional intelligence among childcare teachers?
Research question 3-3. Does job stress have a significant impact on communication skills through the mediation of emotional intelligence among childcare teachers?
To address this research question, a survey was conducted from May 22 to July 23, 2024, randomly sampling 200 childcare teachers working at daycare centers in the Ulsan area. Of these, 24 questionnaires were excluded due to being unreturned or insincerely completed, and 176 questionnaires were ultimately used for analysis.
The research tool was Clark's (1980) TOSFQ to measure the job stress of childcare workers. The instrument modified by D'Arienzo et al. (1982) and translated by Kim Ji-hyun (1995) was used with some modifications and supplements. For communication ability, the Comprehensive Interpersonal Communication Skills Scale (GICCS) was used based on the ICC of Rubin and Martin (1994) with seven additional components added by Heo Gyeong-ho (2003). For emotional intelligence, the scale developed by Wong and Law (2002) and translated by Noh Hye-mi (2005) was used after modifications and supplements through reviews by one professor and two master's students.
Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 29.0 program, and the following procedures were followed. First, the reliability of the research tool was verified using Cronbach's α. Afterwards, the mean and standard deviation of the general level and sub factors were calculated using frequency analysis and descriptive statistics analysis. The difference between variables wast. The analysis was performed using the F test and the Scheffé post-hoc test when the difference between groups was significant, and the correlation was confirmed using Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. Finally, the mediating effect of emotional intelligence in the relationship between job stress and communication ability was verified using hierarchical regression analysis and the Sobel test.
The results of this study can be summarized as follows: First, when examining the general levels of each factor, the average value of job stress among childcare teachers was relatively low, below the median, while emotional intelligence and communication skills were relatively high, above the median. Additionally, job stress, emotional intelligence, and communication skills of childcare teachers showed partial significant differences based on the type of daycare center, the age group of the class, and the highest level of education. Second, when examining the correlation between job stress, emotional intelligence, and communication skills of childcare teachers, a negative correlation was found between job stress and both emotional intelligence and communication skills, while a positive correlation was found between emotional intelligence and communication skills. Additionally, partial significant correlations were observed between the sub-factors. Third, when examining the mediating effect of emotional intelligence in the relationship between job stress and communication skills, it was found that emotional intelligence had a partial mediating effect between the two variables.
The above research results show that emotional intelligence plays an important mediating role in the relationship between childcare teachers' job stress and communication skills. dot This is confirmed Was This is to improve the communication skills of childcare teachers through emotional intelligence. river. This suggests that talking is an effective approach.
Accordingly, educational programs and emotional support systems are being developed to enhance emotional intelligence in childcare settings. Through such emotional intelligence enhancement programs, if teachers manage their job stress positively and improve their communication skills based on this, it is expected that this will ultimately contribute to improving the quality of childcare.
Keywords: Childcare teacher job stress, communication skills, emotional intelligence|보육교사는 아동의 성장과 발달에 중요한 역할을 맡고 있으며, 이들의 직무스트레스는 보육의 질에 직접적인 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 직무스트레스는 보육교사의 의사소통능력에 부정적인 영향을 주어 아동과의 관계 형성뿐만 아니라 학부모 및 동료와의 소통에도 장애를 일으킬 수 있기 때문이다. 정서지능은 이러한 스트레스를 효과적으로 관리하고 의사소통능력을 향상시키는 데 중요한 역할을 할 수 있다. 정서지능이 높은 보육교사는 직무스트레스로 인한 부정적 감정을 잘 조절하며, 타인과의 원활한 소통을 통해 갈등을 최소화할 수 있기 때문이다.
이에 본 연구에서는 보육교사의 직무스트레스가 의사소통능력에 미치는 영향에서 정서지능이 매개역할을 할 수 있는지 확인하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 이를 위한 연구문제는 다음과 같다.
연구문제 1. 보육교사 직무스트레스, 의사소통능력, 정서지능의 일반적인 수준은 어떠하며 개인변인에 따라 유의한 차이가 있는가?
연구문제 2. 보육교사 직무스트레스, 의사소통능력 및 정서지능 간에 유의한 상관관계가 있는가?
연구문제 3. 보육교사 의사소통능력에 미치는 직무스트레스의 영향은 정서지능에 의해 매개되는가?
연구문제 3-1. 보육교사 직무스트레스는 의사소통능력에 유의한 영향을 미치는가?
연구문제 3-2. 보육교사 직무스트레스는 정서지능에 유의한 영향을 미치는가?
연구문제 3-3. 보육교사 직무스트레스는 정서지능을 매개로 의사소통능력에 유의한 영향을 미치는가?
본 연구문제를 해결하기 위해 울산 지역 어린이집에 근무하는 보육교사 200명을 임의로 표집하여 2024년 5월 22일부터 7월 23일까지 설문조사를 실시하였다. 이 중 24부는 미회수 되거나 불성실하게 작성되어 제외하였으며, 최종적으로 176부의 설문지를 분석에 사용하였다.
연구 도구는 보육교사의 직무스트레스를 측정하기 위해 Clark(1980)의 TOSFQ를 D'Arienzo 등(1982)이 수정하고, 김지현(1995)이 번역한 도구를 일부 수정·보완하여 사용하였다. 의사소통능력은 Rubin과 Martin(1994)의 ICC를 기반으로 허경호(2003)가 7가지 구성요소를 추가한 포괄적인 대인의사소통능력척도(GICCS)를 활용하였다. 정서지능은 Wong과 Law(2002)가 개발한 WLEIS를 노혜미(2005)가 번안한 척도를 교수 1인과 석사 2인의 검토를 통해 수정·보완하여 사용하였다.
자료 분석은 SPSS 29.0 프로그램을 활용하였으며, 다음과 같은 절차를 따랐다. 먼저, 연구 도구의 신뢰도는 Cronbach’s α로 검증하였다. 이후, 빈도분석과 기술통계분석으로 일반적 수준과 하위요인의 평균 및 표준편차를 산출하였다. 변인 간 차이는 t검증과 F검증으로 분석하였으며, 집단 간 차이가 유의미한 경우 Scheffé 사후검증을 실시하였고, 상관관계는 Pearson의 적률상관계수로 확인하였다. 마지막으로, 직무스트레스와 의사소통능력 간 관계에서 정서지능의 매개효과는 위계적 회귀분석 및 Sobel test로 검증하였다.
본 연구의 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 각 요인의 일반적인 수준을 살펴본 결과, 보육교사의 직무스트레스의 평균값은 중앙 값 이하로 상대적으로 낮은 수준을 보였으며, 정서지능과 의사소통능력은 중앙값 이상으로 비교적 높은 수준을 나타냈다. 또한 보육교사의 직무스트레스, 정서지능, 의사소통능력은 어린이집 유형, 학급연령, 최종학력에 따라 부분적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다. 둘째, 보육교사의 직무스트레스, 정서지능, 의사소통능력 간의 상관관계를 살펴본 결과, 직무스트레스와 정서지능, 의사소통능력 간에는 부적 상관관계가, 정서지능과 의사소통능력 간에는 정적 상관관계가 나타났으며, 하위변인 간에는 부분적으로 유의한 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 보육교사의 직무스트레스와 의사소통능력과의 관계에서 정서지능의 매개효과를 살펴본 결과, 보육교사의 정서지능은 두 변인 간에 부분 매개효과를 갖는 것으로 나타났다.
이상의 연구 결과를 통해 보육교사의 직무스트레스와 의사소통능력 간의 관계에서 정서지능이 중요한 매개역할을 한다는 점이 확인되었다. 이는 보육교사의 의사소통능력을 향상시키는 데 있어서 정서지능을 강화하는 것이 효과적인 접근임을 시사한다.
이에 따라 보육현장에서 정서지능을 향상시키기 위한 교육프로그램과 정서지원 시스템 구축 등의 방안을 마련하는 것이 도움 될 수 있을 것이다. 이러한 정서지능 강화프로그램을 통해 교사들이 직무스트레스를 긍정적으로 관리하고, 이를 바탕으로 의사소통능력을 높인다면 궁극적으로 보육의 질 향상에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.
주요어 : 보육교사 직무스트레스, 의사소통능력, 정서지능Maste
Observation of High-order Reflectance with One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Polymeric Multilayer Films
Photonic crystals (PCs) are structures that emulate structures observed in nature and are composed of periodic arrays of materials with disparate refractive indices. They are broadly categorised according to their dimensionality, namely one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D). The objective of this study was to observe high-order reflectance, which have been observed in 2D and 3D photonic crystals but are difficult to observe in 1D PCs. For this purpose, poly(2-vinylnaphthalene- co-benzoylphenyl acrylate) (p(2VN-co-BPA)) was synthesised as a high-refractive-index polymer, and quaternized poly(4-vinylpyridine-co-benzoylphenyl acrylate) (quaternized p(4VP-co-BPA)) was prepared as a low-refractive-index polymer. The fabrication of 1D PC multilayer films is a relatively straightforward process. It involves the application of a PET film over a glass substrate, followed by the deposition of alternating layers of high and low refractive index polymers via a spin coating process. The low-refractive-index polymer, quaternized p(4VP-co-BPA), is a humidity-sensitive polymer. Multilayer films were fabricated with 11 different concentrations to vary the thickness of the low- refractive-index polymer in each multilayer film. It was observed that in certain multilayer films, the increase in humidity reached a thickness sufficient to exhibit higher-order reflectance according to the Bragg-Snell law. The resulting one-dimensional PC multilayer films display properties that are challenging to discern in one-dimensional PCs and exhibit a range of colors, which is anticipated to facilitate the development of a multitude of applications.Maste
Comparison of culture medium for enhancing neurogenic effects of mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles
Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are effective in treating neuronal disorders due to the paracrine effects through extracellular vesicles (EVs). It is well known that MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) contain various therapeutic substances such as antioxidant enzymes, anti- inflammatory cytokines, and neurotrophic factors (NTFs). Therefore, MSC-EVs could promote the activation of endogenous neural stem cells, resulting in recovery of neuronal function. The cargo of MSC-EVs could varies depending on the culture conditions. There are various methods to regulate culture conditions but adjusting the cell culture environment by changing the media composition is likely the most effective. Therefore, this study investigated which culture media could enhance the neuroregenerative effects of MSC-EVs. Methods: MSC-EVs were cultured in three types of media: Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) with 10% fetal bovine serum (NM), low-serum DMEM with 4% fetal bovine serum (LSM), and chemically defined medium (CDM). Flow cytometry was used to analyze MSC-specific CD markers. EV concentration was measured by nanoparticle tracking analysis, and western blot analysis was performed to evaluate EV markers and neurogenic properties. Cytokine arrays and micro- ribonucleic acid (miRNA) quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to analyze EV cargo. In vitro neurogenic effects of MSC-EVs were investigated using SH- SY5Y neuroblastoma cell culture. Results: The quantitative results showed that the number of EVs obtained from MSC cultured with CDM were significantly higher than those obtained under the other media conditions. Western blot analysis results demonstrated that there were no differences among the groups in the expression of EV positive markers such as CD63, CD81, CD9 and TSG101. In addition, the culture condition with CDM promoted the upregulation of miRNA contents in EVs which are associated with neuroregenerative pathways such as miR-29a and miR-125b. In vitro analysis using neuroblast SH-SY5Y cells revealed that the expression levels of doublecortin (DCX) and tuj-1 were enhanced in the MSC-EV-treated groups obtained from CDM compared to those cultured in other conditions. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the culture medium significantly influences the yield and neuroregenerative potential of MSC-EVs. Among the tested conditions, CDM produced a higher concentration of EVs and enriched their cargo with neuroregenerative miRNAs, such as miR-29a and miR-125b. Furthermore, MSC-EVs obtained from CDM enhanced the expression of neuronal markers, including DCX and tuj-1, in neuroblast SH-SY5Y cells, suggesting their superior ability to promote neuronal differentiation and regeneration. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing culture conditions to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of MSC-EVs for treating neurological disorders.Maste
Clinicopathologic characterization of patients with chronic myeloid neoplasms showing newly defined monocytosis
Introduction: The 5th edition of the World Health Organization classification scheme for myeloid neoplasms (WHO5) lowered the absolute monocyte count (AMC) threshold from 1,000/µL to 500/µL for the diagnosis of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of cases reclassified as CMML by WHO5, explore the relationship between monocytosis and disease progression, and clarify the diagnostic uncertainty between CMML and myeloproliferative neoplasm with monocytosis.
Methods: This retrospective analysis included 725 patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid neoplasms (CMN) and 125 with acute myeloid leukemia with monocytic features (AMLMONO) from January 2018 to December 2023. We classified these patients according to the WHO5 criteria and analyzed clinical, mutational and cytogenetic data.
Results: The reclassification led to a change in diagnosis for 6.3% of all patients, and 6.5% of myelodysplastic neoplasm (MDS) cases were reclassified as CMML. These reclassified CMML patients exhibited significantly lower bone marrow blast percentages and IPSS-R score, compared with MDS with monocytosis (P = 0.011 and P < 0.001). These patients also had significantly lower mutation rates in ASXL1, TET2, combined RAS pathway genes, and signature mutations in CMML (defined as biallelic TET2 and/or TET2-SRSF2 mutations detected as ancestral variants) compared with previously established myelodysplastic CMML cases (P = 0.037, P = 0.044, P = 0.011 and P = 0.001, respectively). The mutational profiles of MDS without monocytosis, MDS with monocytosis, CMML and AMLMONO showed an evolutionary spectrum with a progressively increasing prevalence of RAS pathway mutations, whereas TP53 mutations progressively decreased. Clinical characteristics of CMML including age, white blood cell, hemoglobin, platelet, eosinophil (%) and basophil (%) showed significant differences compared with those of Philadelphia-negative MPN with monocytosis (P < 0.001 for all variables). Mutational profiles of the groups displayed significant differences in mutation frequency of ASXL1, TET2, SRSF2, CALR, JAK2, and the variant allele frequency of JAK2 (P = 0.001, P = 0.029, P = 0.003, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.007).
Conclusion: Our study suggests that CMML reclassified from MDS retains features of MDS, that RAS pathway mutations may contribute to the evolution of monocytic myeloid neoplasms, and that clinical and mutational profiles can distinguish myeloid neoplasms in the gray zone. We anticipate future studies to elucidate the long-term clinical outcome of this new CMML subtype and the pathological role of monocytosis.Maste