What most Matters in Strengthening Educational Competitiveness?: An Application of FS/QCA Method

AbstractThis study was conducted in order to investigate the relationships between different factors affecting educational competitiveness, which is crucial to enhancing national competitiveness in every country, and to put forward policy implications whereby each country may raise the level of its educational competitiveness. PISA score was selected as an indicator representing the educational competitiveness of 22 OECD countries, and this included some independent variables, such as per capita GDP, total public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, and total per capita public expenditure on education (US dollars), affecting educational competitiveness. We employed the fuzzy set analysis method (FS/QCA) to analyze the complex causal relationships among the factors affecting educational competitiveness. The research results show that there are three significant combinations of variables affecting educational competitiveness (PISA score). Model 1 is a configuration of four variables (high total expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, high total per capita expenditure on education, high ratio of private-source expenditure on education to GDP, and high GDP), and includes Netherlands, Finland, Australia, and Ireland. Model 2 is a configuration of five variables (low total expenditure on education, low total per capita expenditure on education, low ration of students to teaching staff, low private-source expenditure on education, and low GDP, and includes Poland. Model 3 is a configuration of five variables (low total expenditure on education, low total per capita expenditure on education, high private-source expenditure on education, high ratio of students to teaching staff, and high GDP), and includes Japan. Finally, the study suggests that each country should endeavour to enhance its own educational competitiveness, considering how the factors associated with this relate to each other

Anti-inflammatory effects of spermidine in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 microglial cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spermidine, a naturally occurring polyamine, displays a wide variety of internal biological activities including cell growth and proliferation. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for its anti-inflammatory activity have not yet been elucidated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The anti-inflammatory properties of spermidine were studied using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine BV2 microglia model. As inflammatory parameters, the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂(PGE₂), interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were evaluated. We also examined the spermidine's effect on the activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathways.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Pretreatment with spermidine prior to LPS treatment significantly inhibited excessive production of NO and PGE₂in a dose-dependent manner, and was associated with down-regulation of expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Spermidine treatment also attenuated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and TNF-α, by suppressing their mRNA expressions. The mechanism underlying spermidine-mediated attenuation of inflammation in BV2 cells appeared to involve the suppression of translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit into the nucleus, and the phosphorylation of Akt and MAPKs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results indicate that spermidine appears to inhibit inflammation stimulated by LPS by blocking the NF-κB, PI3K/Akt and MAPKs signaling pathways in microglia.</p

Clock Light Design Based on Sunrise and Sunset Time

We intend to develop a clock with a natural human perception of time, instead of a numerical one. Our representation of time was inspired by the difference in light during sunrise and sunset depending on the season or place and its annual recurrence. The events of sunrise, midday, and sunset, which consist our time series, was appointed a specific color based on the theory associated with color temperature, and connected with gradation. To be able to show the time information with light, we created a physical form. This clock light functions as an indirect light source and gives emotional value to time

Status of Use of Menstrual Hygiene Products and Genital Organ Hygiene Management in Unmarried Women

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of use of menstrual hygiene products and genital organ hygiene management in unmarried women. METHODS: Data from 161 unmarried women were used for analysis. The instruments consisted of self-reported questionnaires that included 40 items: 20 on General Characteristics &amp; Sexual Health Related Characteristics, 8 on Using Status of Menstrual Hygiene Products, 12 on Genital Organ Hygiene Management. RESULTS: The subjects used disposable sanitary napkin as the most frequently but the satisfaction was low, while the use of reusable sanitary napkin and tampons were few, but satisfaction was high. Sixty-seven percent of the unmarried women had sex experience, and more than 60% experienced abnormal symptoms in the genital organ. There was a significant difference in genital organ hygiene management according to sex experience. Among subjects of this study, 44.1% wanted to use menstrual cup, and 98.8% wanted to have education for their menstrual hygiene products. CONCLUSION: Based on results of this study, a nationwide survey of the demand for menstrual hygiene products used by Korean women is needed, it is necessary to educate about the proper use of menstrual hygiene products and genital organ hygiene management

Tension pneumopericardium after removal of pericardiocentesis drainage catheter

This image showed tension pneumopericardium caused by removing the pericardiocentesis catheter, which was inserted to drain malignant pericardial effusion. Tension pneumopericardium is a rare and potentially fatal event. Mortality from tension pneumopericardium can be as high as 50%. Therefore, it is important to suspect and detect early, if the patient complained of dyspnea after removing the pericardiocentesis drainage cathete

Deregulation of HDAC5 by Viral Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 Plays an Essential Role in Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Induced Lymphangiogenesis.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), which is one of the most common HIV-associated neoplasms. The endothelium is the thin layer of squamous cells where vascular blood endothelial cells (BECs) line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) are in direct contact with lymphatic vessels. The KS lesions contain a prominent compartment of neoplastic spindle morphology cells that are closely related to LECs. Furthermore, while KSHV can infect both LECs and BECs in vitro, its infection activates genetic programming related to lymphatic endothelial cell fate, suggesting that lymphangiogenic pathways are involved in KSHV infection and malignancy. Here, we report for the first time that viral interferon regulatory factor 3 (vIRF3) is readily detected in over 40% of KS lesions and that vIRF3 functions as a proangiogenic factor, inducing hypersprouting formation and abnormal growth in a LEC-specific manner. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that vIRF3 interacted with histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5), which is a signal-responsive regulator for vascular homeostasis. This interaction blocked the phosphorylation-dependent cytosolic translocation of HDAC5 and ultimately altered global gene expression in LECs but not in BECs. Consequently, vIRF3 robustly induced spindle morphology and hypersprouting formation of LECs but not BECs. Finally, KSHV infection led to the hypersprouting formation of LECs, whereas infection with a ΔvIRF3 mutant did not do so. Collectively, our data indicate that vIRF3 alters global gene expression and induces a hypersprouting formation in an HDAC5-binding-dependent and LEC-specific manner, ultimately contributing to KSHV-associated pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE Several lines of evidences indicate that KSHV infection of LECs induces pathological lymphangiogenesis and that the results resemble KS-like spindle morphology. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that KSHV vIRF3 is readily detected in over 40% of various KS lesions and functions as a potent prolymphangiogenic factor by blocking the phosphorylation-dependent cytosolic translocation of HDAC5, which in turn modulates global gene expression in LECs. Consequently, vIRF3-HDAC5 interaction contributes to virus-induced lymphangiogenesis. The results of this study suggest that KSHV vIRF3 plays a crucial role in KSHV-induced malignancy

Indoor Environmental Quality of Classrooms and Student Outcomes: A Path Analysis Approach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in a set of university classrooms and students' outcomes, i.e., satisfaction with IEQ, perceived learning, and course satisfaction. Data collected from students (N = 631) of a Midwestern university were analyzed to test a hypothesized conceptual model by conducting a path analysis. Findings suggested that IEQ of the classrooms, such as thermal conditions, indoor air quality, acoustic conditions, lighting conditions, furnishings, aesthetics, technology, and view conditions, was associated with positive student outcomes. Implications for classroom design were discussed with suggestions for future research

The value of chest CT for prediction of breast tumor size: comparison with pathology measurement

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on the use of chest computed tomography (CT) to predict breast tumor size in breast cancer, despite the fact that chest CT examinations are being increasingly used. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of chest CT for predicting breast tumor size using pathology measurements as reference standards. METHODS: Tumor sizes (defined as greatest diameter) were retrospectively measured on the preoperative chest CT images of 285 patients with surgically proven unifocal, invasive breast carcinoma. Greatest tumor diameters as determined by chest CT and pathologic examinations were compared by linear regression and Spearman’s rho correlation analysis. Concordance between CT and pathology results was defined as a diameter difference of <5 mm. Subgroup analyses were also performed with respect to tumor size (<20 mm or ≥20 mm) and histological subtype (invasive ductal carcinoma(IDC) or non-IDC). RESULTS: CT and pathology measured diameters were found to be linearly related (size at pathology = 1.086 × CT determined tumor size - 1.141; Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient = 0.84, P<0.001). Most tumors (n = 228, 80.0%) were concordant by chest CT and pathology, but 36 tumors (12.7%) were underestimated by CT (average underestimation, 11 mm; range, 6–36 mm) and 21 tumors (7.4%) were overestimated (average overestimation by CT, 10 mm; range, 6–19 mm). The concordance rate between the two sets of measurements was greater for tumor of <20 mm and for IDC (P<0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size by chest CT is well correlated with pathology determined tumor size in breast cancer patients, and the diameters of the majority of tumors by chest CT and pathology differed by <5 mm. In addition, the concordance rate was higher for breast tumors of <20 mm and for tumors of the IDC histologic subtype