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Collaborative project-based learning in global health: Enhancing competencies and skills for undergraduate nursing students
No full textBackground Despite the importance of collaboration and communication in global health, existing educational approaches often rely on traditional one-way instruction from instructor to student. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed undergraduate curriculum on global health in enhancing nursing students' competencies in global health and communication, problem-solving, and self-directed learning skills. Methods A 15-week course "Global Health and Nursing" was designed for undergraduate nursing students, and a collaborative project-based learning method was used. Study participants were undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the course. The study was a multi-method study and included quantitative and qualitative components. It employed a one-group pretest-posttest design to quantitatively assess the impact of the curriculum. Additionally, student experiences with the learning process were qualitatively explored through a focus group interview. A total of 28 students participated in this study, and 5 of them participated in the focus group interview. Results The collaborative project-based learning method significantly improved global health competency (t = - 10.646, df = 22, p < 0.001), with a large effect size. It also improved communication skills (t = - 2.649, df = 22, p = 0.015), problem-solving skills (t = - 3.453, df = 22, p = 0.002), and self-directed learning skills (t = - 2.375, df = 22, p = 0.027). Three themes were found through the focus group interview: (a) Promoting global health competency; (b) Fostering life skills through collaborative projects; and (c) Recommendations for future classes. The focus group interview indicated that overall, the study participants were satisfied with the collaborative project-based method for global health education. Conclusions This study confirms that project-based learning significantly boosts the competencies and skills of students, recommending its broader adoption in nursing education. Nursing instructors should consider adopting this teaching approach for global health education at the undergraduate level. Future studies may employ a longitudinal design to assess the prolonged effects of the collaborative project-based learning approach, particularly focusing on the long-term retention of skills and the broader applicability of this model across different educational settings.Y
Anomalous Behavior in Dark-Bright Splitting Impacts the Biexciton Binding Energy in (BA)2(MA)n-1Pbn Br3n+1 (n=1-3)
No full textTwo-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper series are an excellent system for tuning physical properties of the perovskite by controlling the layer number (n). For instance, bandgap and exciton binding energies of the series gradually increase upon reducing n via enhanced quantum and dielectric confinements. Here, we present findings that challenge the anticipated trend in electron-hole exchange interaction within (BA)(2)MA(n-1)Pb(n)Br(3n+1) (n = 1-3), which causes spin-dependent exciton level splitting into bright and dark states, where the latter is partially visible near the surface of the Br-based two-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper series. Contrary to expectations, the smallest gap between bright and dark exciton levels is observed from n = 2 at 10 K. This anomaly results in the strongest biexciton binding between two dark excitons occurring at n = 2, rather than at n = 1 as initially hypothesized. The observed anomaly arises from a phase transition induced by octahedral tilting occurring only for n = 2 near 100 K as confirmed by temperature-dependent optical and X-ray diffraction measurements. Our results show that Coulomb interaction need not vary gradually with n, which can impact the optoelectronic properties of the Ruddlesden-Popper series.N
On-Patient Temporary Medical Record for Accurate, Time-Sensitive Information at the Point of Care
No full textAccurate medical recordkeeping is important for personal and public health. Conventional forms of on-patient medical information, such as medical alert bracelets or finger-markings, may compromise patient privacy because they are readily visible to other people. Here, the development of an invisible, temporary, and easily deployable on-patient medical recordkeeping system is reported. Information is stored in unique patterns of spatially distributed near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent quantum dots (QDs), which are delivered to the skin using dissolvable microneedle arrays. The patterns are invisible to the naked eye but detectable with an infrared camera, which can extract information with >98% accuracy using automated pattern recognition software. By encapsulating NIR QDs in an FDA-approved biodegradable polymer, biodegradation rates can be tuned so that the encoded medical information can be conveyed in both a spatial and temporal manner, with some components fading within 100 days and others persisting for 6 months. This may be particularly useful for administering a series of vaccinations or treatments by indicating if enough time has passed for the patient to receive the next dose. Importantly, this system contains no personal information, does not require connection to a centralized database, and is not visible to the naked eye, ensuring patient privacy.Y
Structural Homogeneity of Macromolecular Networks by End-to-End Click Chemistry between Discrete Tetrahedral Star Macromolecules
No full textCross-linking via the end-to-end click chemistry of multiarm star polymers creates polymer networks with minimal inhomogeneities. Although it has been suggested that the mechanical and swelling properties of such networks depend on the absence of defects, the structural details of homogeneous networks created by this method have not yet been studied at the molecular level. Here, we report the synthesis of discrete tetrahedral star macromolecules (dTSMs) composed of polylactide (PLA) arms with discrete molecular weight and sequence. Polymer networks prepared by 4 x 4 cross-linking by Cu-free strain-promoted cyclooctyne-azide click chemistry (SPAAC) reaction exhibited a high degree of swelling (>40 fold by weight) in solvents without sacrificing mechanical robustness (elastic modulus >4 kPa). The structural details of the networks were investigated by network disassembly spectrometry (NDS) using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. By implementing a cleavable repeating unit in the discrete PLA arms of dTSM in a sequence-specific manner, the networks could be disassembled into fragments having discrete molecular weights precisely representing their connectivity in the network. This NDS analysis confirmed that end-to-end click reactions of dTSM networks resulted in the formation of a homogeneous network above the critical concentration (similar to 10 w/v%) of building blocks in the solution.N
Self-Assembled Nanostructures Presenting Repetitive Arrays of Subunit Antigens for Enhanced Immune Response
No full textInfectious diseases pose persistent threats to public health, demanding advanced vaccine technologies. Nanomaterial-based delivery systems offer promising solutions to enhance immunogenicity while minimizing reactogenicity. We introduce a self-assembled vaccine (SAV) platform employing antigen-polymer conjugates designed to facilitate robust immune responses. The SAVs exhibit efficient cellular uptake by dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, which are crucial players in the innate immune system. The high-density antigen presentation of this SAV platform enhances the affinity for DCs through multivalent recognition, significantly augmenting humoral immunity. SAV induced high levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1, and IgG2a, suggesting that mature DCs efficiently induced B cell activation through multivalent antigen recognition. Universality was confirmed by applying it to respiratory viruses, showcasing its potential as a versatile vaccine platform. Furthermore, we have also demonstrated strong protection against influenza A virus infection with SAV containing hemagglutinin, which is used in influenza A virus subunit vaccines. The efficacy and adaptability of this nanostructured vaccine present potential utility in combating infectious diseases.N
Data-centric artificial olfactory system based on the eigengraph
No full textRecent studies of electronic nose system tend to waste significant amount of important data in odor identification. Until now, the sensitivity-oriented data composition has made it difficult to discover meaningful data to apply artificial intelligence in terms of in-depth analysis for odor attributes specifying the identities of gas molecules, ultimately resulting in hindering the advancement of the artificial olfactory technology. Here, we realize a data-centric approach to implement standardized artificial olfactory systems inspired by human olfactory mechanisms by formally defining and utilizing the concept of Eigengraph in electrochemisty. The implicit odor attributes of the eigengraphs were mathematically substantialized as the Fourier transform-based Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficient feature vectors. Their effectiveness and applicability in deep learning processes for gas classification have been clearly demonstrated through experiments on complex mixed gases and automobile exhaust gases. We suggest that our findings can be widely applied as source technologies to develop standardized artificial olfactory systems.Y
Earnings News and Over-the-Counter Markets
No full textWe document significant increases in bond market liquidity around earnings announcements. These increases are attributed to decreased search and bargaining costs, which arise from the over-the-counter (OTC) nature of bond markets and outweigh increases in information asymmetry during these periods. Our evidence traces reductions in search and bargaining costs to two sources around earnings announcements: (1) improved access to dealers and (2) increased participation from institutional investors, who can more easily transact with multiple dealers. Overall, our findings highlight a novel channel through which firm-specific information affects asset prices.N
How the Simple Form of a Substance Brings About the Unity of the Substances Complex Essence
No full text학위논문(석사) -- 서울대학교 대학원 : 인문대학 철학과(서양철학전공), 2024. 8. 한성일.두 보편자 이성적임과 동물임이 인간 본질의 구성 성분(constituents)임을 가정하자. 각개의 두 보편자는 인간에게 서로 다른 인과적 힘을 부여하기에, 서로 별개인 듯하다. 그리고 이들 중 오직 이성적임만이 신에 의해서도 예화될 수 있고, 동물임만이 뱀에 의해서도 예화될 수 있다는 점에서 이들은 분리되어 예화 가능하다(separable). 이처럼, 이성적임과 동물임이 필연적으로 공예화되고 통합될 수 있도록 하는 어떤 내적 연관(inherent interrelation)이 이들 사이에 있는 것은 아니다. 그럼에도 이들은 인간 내에서 하나이다. 통합성 문제는 이러한 통합에 대한 형이상학적 설명 제시를 요구한다.
데이비드 오더버그는 실체 형상이 실체의 본질 통합을 근거한다고 주장한다. 그에 의하면, 이를테면 인간 형상은 이성적임과 동물임의 결합(combination)이다. 그럼에도 이는 절대적 단순자이다. 즉, 이성적임과 동물임은 인간 형상 내에서 하나이다. 인간은 자신의 형상을 예화하고, 인간 형상은 이미 그것 안에서 하나인 그의 본질을 그에게 부여하기 때문에, 이성적임과 동물임이 비록 각각 서로 별개이고 분리되어 예화 가능하더라도, 그는 통합된 본질을 지니게 된다.
J. T. 알바라도와 매튜 턱비는 이러한 오더버그의 해결책이 비일관적이라고 비판한다. 그들은 다음의 상충하는 두 주장을 그가 하는 것으로 여긴다. (1) 인간 형상은 이성적임과 동물임에 본질적으로 의존한다. (2) 인간 형상은 이성적임과 동물임을 근거한다. 알바라도와 턱비에 의하면, 통합성 문제를 해결하기 위해 오더버그는 (2)를 수용해야 한다. 그리고 인간 형상은 이성적임과 동물임을 자신의 본질적 구성 성분으로 지닌다는 점에서 데이비드 암스트롱의 사태(states of affairs)와 유사하기 때문에, (1) 또한 오더버그에게 있어서 참이다. 하지만 그렇다면 그는 모순을 범하는 것이다. A가 B에 본질적으로 의존하거나 근거한다면, A는 자신에 선행하는 존재론적 기반(ontological base)인 B 없이 존재하거나 성립할 수 없기에 B가 A에 비해 더 근본적이므로, (1)과 (2) 모두가 동시에 참이라고 단언하는 것은 곧 인간 형상이 이성적임과 동물임에 비해 더 근본적이고 또한 덜 근본적이라는 주장을 하는 셈이기 때문이다.
본고의 목적 중 하나는 오더버그의 통합성 문제 해법에 대한 알바라도와 턱비의 비판에 답변하는 것이다. 앞에서 언급하였듯이, 오더버그에 따르면, 인간 형상은 절대적 단순자이다. 즉, 이는 하나이자 오직 하나인 전체론적 존재자이다. 이를 두 별개의 보편자를 구성 성분으로 지니는 구조적(structured) 존재자로 이해하는 것은 형상이 지니는 중요한 특성을 곡해하는 것이며, 따라서 (1)이 참임을 밝히는 논거가 될 수 없다. 고로 오더버그는 충분히 뒷받침되지 않은 주장인 (1)을 거부함으로써 알바라도와 턱비의 비판에 대응할 수 있다.
이러한 응수에 대해 알바라도와 턱비는 필자가 복합성 문제(the complexity question)라고 부르는 것을 제기함으로써 맞설 것이다. 이는 단순한 실체 형상이 어떻게 실체의 복합적인 본질의 통합을 야기하는지에 관한 문제이다(본질은 구성 성분들로 이루어져 있기 때문에 복합적이다). 오더버그는 이 문제에 답할 필요성을 인정하지만 해법을 제시하지는 않는다. 본고의 주된 목표는 테오도어 스칼트사스의 실체적 전체론(substantial holism)을 오더버그의 실체 형상에 적용함으로써 복합성과 통합성 문제에 모두 답하는 해결책을 제시하는 것이다. 이에 따라 오더버그의 형상 이론이 더 많은 종류의 문제에 답할 수 있게 된다면, 그것은 보다 더 개선될 것이다.
인간 형상과 그것이 통합하는 본질 사이의 대조를 제거하기 위해, 필자는 인간 형상 또한 자신에 내재적인 구성물들(intrinsic components)을 지닌다는 점에서 복합적이지만, 여전히 하나임을 논증할 것이다. 그 구성물들은, 인간 본질의 통합에 기여할 수 있도록, 인간 형상의 정체성에 의해 재정의된다(reidentified). 이 구성물들로 인해 이성적임과 동물임은 인간 형상에서 추상화될 수 있다. 그러므로 인간 형상은 어떤 의미에서 이성적임과 동물임의 결합이다. 이는 오더버그의 주장과 상통한다. 그러나 이성적임과 동물임은 인간 형상의 현실적인 구성 성분이 아니다. 인간 형상 내에 존재하는 것은, 형상에 정체성 의존함으로 인해, 형상의 정체성과 별개인 고유의 정체성을 유지하지 않기에 하나인 구성물들이다. 이러한 주장들을 옹호하는 필자의 논변이 건전하다면, 오더버그는 알바라도와 턱비의 비판을 피하면서, 통합성 문제 외에도 복합성 문제까지 해결할 수 있게 된다.Stipulate that the universals of rationality and animality constitute the essence of a human. In themselves, they seem distinct: they confer different causal powers on her. Moreover, they are separable: rationality, but not animality, is instantiated by God, while animality, but not rationality, is instantiated by snakes. While rationality and animality are not inherently interrelated to be necessarily co-instantiated and unified, they are one within humans. The unity problem is a question that demands a metaphysical explanation of such oneness.
David Oderberg argues that substantial form grounds the unity of the essence of a substance. According to him, the human form, for example, is a "combination" of rationality and animality. Nevertheless, it is an absolutely simple entity; rationality and animality are one within the form, which lacks any constituents, parts, or elements. Because a human instantiates her form and it bestows her identity upon her, which is already one within it, she receives her unified essence, even though rationality and animality are, as such, distinct and separable.
J. T. Alvarado and Matthew Tugby criticize Oderberg's solution as inconsistent. They insist that he advocates the following colliding claims: (1) The human form essentially depends on rationality and animality; (2) The human form grounds rationality and animality. According to Alvarado and Tugby, to solve the unity problem, Oderberg must accept (2). Additionally, since the human form is similar to Armstrongian states of affairs in having rationality and animality as its essential constituents, (1) holds. Finally, since if A essentially depends on or is grounded by B, then B is more fundamental than A (A can exist or obtain owing to its prior ontological base, B), committing oneself to both (1) and (2) amounts to asserting that the human form is both more and less fundamental than rationality and animality, which is a contradiction.
One purpose of this dissertation is to defend Oderberg's resolution of the unity problem against Alvarado and Tugby's charge. As mentioned above, for him, the human form is simple in the absolute sense; it is a holistic entity that is and only is one. Apprehending the form as a structured being that consists of two distinct universals obscures its vital feature and thus cannot serve as the basis for (1). Oderberg would, therefore, reject the groundless claim (1) and decline Alvarado and Tugby's criticism.
In response to the above, Alvarado and Tugby are likely to raise what I call 'the complexity question'—i.e., how the simple form of a substance yields the unity of the substance's complex essence (the essence is complex because of its constituents). While Oderberg recognizes the need to answer this question, he leaves it open. The primary aim of this dissertation is to propose a key to the complexity question that also accounts for the unity problem by applying Theodore Scaltsas's substantial holism to Oderberg's forms. It would be a significant advancement of his theory of forms if it resolved a more diverse range of problems.
To eliminate the contrast between the human form and the essence it unifies, I shall argue that the form is complex—it possesses intrinsic components—but is unified. The nature of the form reidentifies its components to play a part in uniting the human essence. Because of the presence of these components, the universals of rationality and animality may be abstracted from the form. Hence, the form is, in a sense, a "combination" of rationality and animality. However, rationality and animality do not actually constitute the form. What exists in it are entities that do not preserve their identities independent of the identity of the form and are thus one due to their identity dependence on the form. If the argument for this line of claims succeeds, Oderberg can solve the unity problem and the complexity question and repudiate Alvarado and Tugby's criticism in a principled way.Chapter 1. Introduction 1
Chapter 2. Clarifications 6
Chapter 3. Oderbergs Solution to the Unity Problem 11
Chapter 4. Alvarado and Tugbys Criticisms of Oderbergs Solution to the Unity Problem 18
Chapter 5. Oderbergs Possible Replies and Motivation for the Application of Substantial Holism to Forms 23
Chapter 6. Scaltsass Substantial Holism 32
6.1. An Aggregate, a Related Whole, and a Substance 32
6.2. The Aggregate Argument 33
6.3. The Trope Overlap Argument 34
6.4. The Unification of Material Components 36
6.5. The Unification of Properties 38
6.6. The Unification of Form and Matter 40
Chapter 7. The Application of Scaltsass Substantial Holism to Forms 43
Chapter 8. Replies to Possible Objections 49
8.1. The Threat of an Infinite Regress 49
8.2. The Risk of Relinquishing the Unity of Form and Matter 51
Chapter 9. Conclusion 54
Bibliography 57
Abstract in Korean 62석
Impact of Myocardial Viability on Long-term Outcomes after Surgical Revascularization
No full textBackground:<bold> </bold>This study was conducted to evaluate whether myocardial viability assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) affected long-term clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP).Methods:<bold> </bold>Preoperative CMR with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was performed in 103 patients (64.9 +/- 10.1 years, male:female = 82:21) with 3-vessel disease and left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction <= 0.35). Transmural extent of LGE was evaluated on a 16-segment model, and transmurality was graded on a 5-point scale: grades-0, absence; 1, 1 to 25%; 2, 26 to 50%; 3, 51 to 75%; 4, 76 to 100%. Median follow-up duration was 65.5 months (interquartile range = 27.5-95.3 months). Primary endpoint was the composite of all-cause mortality or hospitalization for congestive heart failure.Results:<bold> </bold>Operative mortality was 1.9%. During the follow-up, all-cause mortality and readmission for congestive heart failure occurred in 29 and 8 patients, respectively. The cumulative incidence of the primary endpoint was 31.3 and 46.8% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the number of segments with LGE grade 4 was a significant risk factor (hazard ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.83, p = 0.007) for the primary endpoint among the variables assessed by CMR. Other risk factors included age, dialysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and EuroSCORE II.Conclusion: The number of myocardial segments with transmurality of LGE >75% might be a prognostic factor associated with the composite of all-cause mortality or hospitalization for congestive heart failure after CABG in patients with 3-vessel disease and ICMP.This study was conducted to evaluate whether myocardial viability assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) affected long-term clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP).composite of all-cause mortality or hospitalization for congestive heart failure after CABG in patients with 3-vessel disease and ICMP.N
Investigation of changes in the physical activity and fall experience before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textThis study aimed to investigate the changes in physical activity levels and the rate of falls during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Korean population. The Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) conducted in 2019 was compared with that conducted in 2020. Simple or multiple linear regression with complex sampling was conducted to calculate the estimated value (EV) of physical activity in the 2020 group vs. the 2019 group. The odds ratio (OR) of fall histories was calculated using simple or multiple logistic regression with complex sampling for the 2020 group compared to the 2019 group. The time spent on vigorous and moderate physical activity was lower in the 2020 group than in the 2019 group (EV = −10.0, 95% CI = −12.1 to −8.0, P < 0.001 for vigorous exercise and EV = −24.0, 95% CI = −26.7 to −21.4, P < 0.001 for moderate exercise). The rate of falls was lower in the 2020 group than in the 2019 group (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.70, P < 0.001). Vigorous and moderate exercise decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. The occurrence of falls was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period.N