Rapid Generation of Flood Maps Using Dual-Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery

Rapid generation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) based flood extent and flood depth maps provide valuable data in disaster response efforts. We present a simple but powerful method using dual polarimetric SAR imagery. A RGB false-color map is generated using pre- and post-flooding imagery, allowing operators to distinguish between existing standing water in pre-flooding data and recently flooded areas. This method works very well in areas of standing water, while large omission errors can be seen in urban areas due to the double-bounce effect. A flood depth map is also estimated by using an external DEM. Compared with FEMA flood product, flood water depth from the proposed method showed low bias with small dispersion. This automatic flood mapping system will contribute to the rapid assessment for disaster relief efforts

PERCEIVED QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION WITH ICU PHYSICIANS AND NURSES AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND STRESS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS OF CHRONICALLY CRIITCALLY ILL PATIENTS IN KOREA

Background: Communication between family members of chronically critically ill patients and intensive care unit (ICU) physicians or nurses about patient treatment occurs frequently. Family members’ perceptions of communication with ICU physicians and nurses about patient treatment have been shown to be associated with family members’ symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Yet little is known about the extent of such communication in Korea or its relationship to family members’ psychological symptoms. Purpose: This dissertation is composed of three studies. The purpose of chapter two was to describe what is known about communication between family members of chronically critically ill patients and physicians or nurses in Korea. The purpose of chapter three was to develop a Korean version of the Quality of Communication (QOC) questionnaire. The purpose of chapter four was to examine whether family members’ symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress are associated with their perceived quality of communication with ICU physicians and nurses. Methods: In chapter two, a narrative review of studies including explicit data of communication between family members of adult patients and physicians or nurses about patient treatment was conducted. In chapter three, the QOC questionnaire was translated and cross-culturally adapted from English into Korean. In chapter four, a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design was implemented. Results: Chapter two reports on a lack of existing empirical data about family members’ perceptions of the quality of communication with physician and nurses over patient treatment in Korea. Chapter three details the development of the Korean version of the QOC questionnaire. In chapter four, family members’ perceived quality of communication with ICU nurses is shown to be negatively associated with their symptoms of depression (β=−0.01, p=.03). Conclusion: This dissertation findings may be useful in identifying areas of family-ICU care provider communication that need to be improved in Korea. Also, findings may provide additional data on the relationships between family members’ perceptions of quality of communication with ICU care providers and their psychological symptoms. It is proposed that validation of the Korean version of the QOC questionnaire that includes an assessment of multiple psychometric properties be conducted in future research.Doctor of Philosoph

The Insulin and IGF Signaling Pathway Sustains Breast Cancer Stem Cells by IRS2/PI3K-Mediated Regulation of MYC

Despite the strong association of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling (IIS) pathway with tumor initiation, recurrence, and metastasis, the mechanism by which this pathway regulates cancer progression is not well understood. Here, we report that IIS supports breast cancer stem cell (CSC) self-renewal in an IRS2-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent manner that involves the activation and stabilization of MYC. IRS2-PI3K signaling enhances MYC expression through the inhibition of GSK3β activity and suppression of MYC phosphorylation on threonine 58, thus reducing proteasome-mediated degradation of MYC and sustaining active pS62-MYC function. A stable T58A-Myc mutant rescues CSC function in Irs2−/− cells, supporting the role of this MYC stabilization in IRS2-dependent CSC regulation. These findings establish a mechanistic connection between the IIS pathway and MYC and highlight a role for IRS2-dependent signaling in breast cancer progression

A Systematic Evaluation of Websites Offering Information on Chronic Kidney Disease

In this study, we described the content and characteristics of 40 non-proprietary websites offering information about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and evaluated their information quality using the DISCERN scale and readability using Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid grade level. The areas in which the websites scored the lowest on the DISCERN scale were whether the website discussed knowledge gaps, presented balanced information, and was clear about the information source. Websites that rated higher quality on the DISCERN scale were more difficult to read. The quality and readability of many websites about CKD to be used as meaningful educational resources for patients who desire to learn more about CKD and treatment options remain inadequate

라인관리자의 인사역량 : 측정도구 개발 및 타당도 검증

학위논문 (박사)-- 서울대학교 대학원 : 경영학과 경영학 전공, 2016. 2. 김성수.This dissertation started from studying the importance of line managers' HR competency. Recent research on HRM has led to active discussions about HPWS gap and HR devolution. At the center of these discussions lies the roles of line managers. While the key role of HR department is to design HR policy and HR system and provide the big picture to fit into the strategic goal of a company, the implementation and communication of these HR policy and system with the employees falls into the responsibility of line managers. In particular, these HR roles in a modern enterprise are increasingly being transferred to line managers. While contribution of line managers to achievement of organizational goals is increasing, the HRM research has been limited to HR policies and practices, or the role of HR department. In order for line managers to properly perform the required HR roles, they have to be equipped with proper competency. Nevertheless, there has been only insufficient research to discuss the required HR competency of line managers for proper performance of such roles. There is no clear definition of line managers' HR competency nor appropriate scales for them. Thus, due to lack of such fundamental research, it is nearly impossible to prove the process of line managers' HR competency influencing HR effectiveness and contributing to organizational performance. Due to these necessity and limitations, this dissertation intended to develop scales for line managers' HR competency and prove validity based on theoretical discussions. The main objective of this dissertation is as follows. First, it intends to examine the importance of line managers' HR competency as a solution to address the gap between intention and implementation of HPWS, which has been actively discussed in the recent HRM studies. Second, it intends to expand the discussions on the devolution of HR roles to line managers, which has emerged as a significant issue in HRM research along with HPWS gap. This highlights the importance of the required HR competency for line managers to perform the transferred HR roles. Third, against such backdrop, it intends to categorize line managers' HR competency into analyzable and measurable concept, develop scales to measure them, and examine validity, with the purpose of studying the definition and composition of line managers' HR competency as well as the impact of them on HR effectiveness. The scales for line managers' HR competency in this study have been designed based on the competency definition of Boyatzis (1982) and Spencer and Spencer (1993) and key HR roles proposed by the previous research. It also empirically proved that line managers' HR competency are composed of six dimensions of HR knowledge, HR communication, HR development, HR conflict resolution, HR compliance, and HR characteristics that they have a positive impact on HR effectiveness, through verification and analysis based on such scales. The results of this dissertation will provide implications to lay the theoretical and empirical foundation for diverse perspectives and discussions on the importance of line managers as contributor to HR performance as well as organizational performance.I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 6 1. HR Processes 6 1.1 HR and the Role of HR Professionals 6 1.2 HR and the Role of Line Managers 8 1.3 The Importance of Line Managers' HR Competency 16 2. Line Managers HR Competency 17 2.1 General Definition of Competency 17 2.2 HR Professionals' Competency 24 2.3 Line Managers' HR Competency 36 Ⅲ. SCALE DEVELOPMENT 40 1. Phase One: Construct Definition 41 1.1 The Definition of Line Managers' HR Competency 41 1.2 The Dimension of Line Managers' HR Competency 41 2. Phase Two: Item Generation 51 2.1 Exploratory Study 51 2.2 Item Generation 54 3. Phase Three: Scale Development 59 4. Phase Four: Scale Evaluation 66 5. Additional Analysis : Relationship with HR Effectiveness 71 Ⅳ. Discussion 76 1. Theoretical Implications 76 2. Practical Implications 78 3. Study Limitations and Conclusion 78 REFERENCES 80 APPENDIX 98 국문초록 110Docto

Passion et liberté chez Colette

Colette’s life can be compared with a way to gain concretely her freedom, and her works can summarize itself as evidence specifying the importance of the freedom. We want understand the position of Colette, who is at once late and in advance of the feminism, analyzing in Colette’s works the image of the woman, who persist in being woman to the end, and who emphasize her mental virility at the same time. The first part is dedicated to the author who, accepting to be a passive woman, dont’t loses heart fulfilling herself as a woman in love and free all her real life long. in the second part, we demonstrate that writing itself is for the author a target to reach to obtain freedom and equality, assuming her difference and restoring her femininity. from the third part, we approach subjects connected with feminine emancipation, raising the problem of conciliation of freedom and love thanks to the own woman's duality and owing to the conflict between the two sexes, and considering author's point of view on the subject of woman's sexuality and sensuality. We understand finally that all the components of the duality that oppose and substitute themselves alternately, make woman's equilibrium and give to her the strength to be a woman. therefore, it is in androgyny that the author finds the true realization of freedom and woman's autonomy without denying man's need, and vice versa, that we show in the last part.La vie de Colette peut être comparée à un chemin pour conquérir concrètement sa liberté, et son œuvre peut se résumer comme un témoignage précisant l'importance de la liberté. Nous voulons comprendre la place de Colette qui est à la fois en retard et en avance sur le féminisme, en analysant l'image de la femme colettienne qui s'obstine à être féminine jusqu'au bout et qui souligne en même temps sa virilité mentale. La première partie est consacrée à l'auteur qui, tout en acceptant d'être une femme passive, ne se décourage pas de se réaliser comme femme amoureuse et libre tout au long de sa vie réelle. Dans la deuxième partie, nous démontrons que l'écriture elle-même est pour l'auteur un but à atteindre pour obtenir la liberté et l'égalité, en assumant sa différence et en rétablissant sa féminité. A partir de la troisième partie, nous abordons des sujets liés à l'émancipation féminine en soulevant le problème de la conciliation de la liberté et de l'amour grâce à la dualité propre de la femme et par le conflit entre les deux sexes, et en examinant le point de vue de l'auteur à propos de la sexualité et de la sensualité de la femme. Nous comprenons finalement que toutes les composantes de la dualité qui s'opposent et qui se substituent alternativement, font l'équilibre de la femme et lui donnent la force d'être femme. Par conséquent, c'est dans l'androgynie que l'auteur voit la véritable réalisation de la liberté et l'autonomie de la femme sans nier le besoin de l'homme, et vice-versa, ce que nous prouvons dans la dernière partie

Medical care costs at the end of life among older adults with cancer: a national health insurance data-based cohort study

Abstract Objective Along with aging, the elderly population with cancers is increasing. The costs of end-of-life (EOL) care are particularly high among cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trends in medical costs in the last year of life among older adults with cancer. Design, setting, and participants Using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Services (HIRA) database for the period 2016–2019, we identified older adults aged ≥ 65 years who had a primary diagnosis of cancers and high-intensity treatment at least once in the intensive care unit (ICU) of tertiary hospitals. Main outcomes and measures High-intensity treatment was defined as receiving at least one of the following treatments: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, hemodialysis, and transfusion. The EOL medical treatment costs were calculated by dividing periods 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months from the time of death, respectively. Results The mean total EOL medical expense per older adult during the year before death was $33,712. The cost of EOL medical expenses for three months and one month before subjects’ death accounted for 62.6$21,117) and 33.8% ($11,389) of total EOL costs, respectively. Among subjects who died while receiving high-intensity treatment in the ICU, the costs associated with medical treatments that occurred during the last month before death were 42.4$13,841) of the total EOL expenses during the year. Conclusion The findings indicate that EOL care expenditures for the older population with cancer are highly concentrated until the last month. The intensity of medical care is an important and challenging issue in terms of care quality and cost suitability. Efforts are needed to properly use medical resources and provide optimal EOL care for older adults with cancer

Development and Evaluation: A Behavioral Activation Mobile Application for Self-Management of Stress for College Students

College students are at a high risk of mental health problems due to continuous exposure to considerable stress as they transition into adulthood. It is necessary to reflect on young people’s needs and provide brief, personalized support interventions via mobile applications. This study aimed to (1) describe the co-design development process of a behavioral activation (BA) mobile health application called MEndorphins to help youth manage stress; and (2) evaluate the ease of use and quality of the application and its effects on psychological distress. College students aged 18–25 in South Korea participated as co-designers throughout the MEndorphins development process, which involved prototyping workshops. Thirty-five students also evaluated the application’s ease of use and quality, as well as its effects on psychological distress, using a self-reported online questionnaire. In the pilot evaluation, ease of use scored 74.21 out of 100 and quality 3.72 out of 5. There were statistically significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and stress after using MEndorphins (p ≤ 0.001 for depression and anxiety, p = 0.001 for stress) for 7 days. In this developed BA based mobile application, participants could monitor their mood, plan stress self-management strategies, and gain motivation by sharing experiences

Dietary Salt Administration Decreases Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF)-Promoted Tumorigenesis via Inhibition of Colonic Inflammation

Consumption of a Western-type diet has been linked to gut-microbiota-mediated colon inflammation that constitutes a risk factor for colorectal cancer. A high salt diet (HSD) exacerbates IL-17A-induced inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune diseases. Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) is a gut commensal bacterium and reported to be a potent initiator of colitis via secretion of the Bacteroides fragilis toxin (BFT). BFT induces ectodomain cleavage of E-cadherin in colonic epithelial cells, consequently leading to cell rounding, epithelial barrier disruption, and the secretion of IL-8, which promotes tumorigenesis in mice via IL-17A-mediated inflammation. A HSD is characteristic of the Western-type diet and can exhibit inflammatory effects. However, a HSD induces effects in ETBF-induced colitis and tumorigenesis remain unknown. In this study, we investigated HSD effects in ETBF-colonized mice with azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced tumorigenesis as well as ETBF colitis mice. Unexpectedly, ETBF-infected mice fed a HSD exhibited decreased weight loss and splenomegaly and reduction of colon inflammation. The HSD significantly decreased the expression of IL-17A and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the colonic tissues of ETBF-infected mice. In addition, serum levels of IL-17A and nitric oxide (NO) were also diminished. However, HT29/C1 colonic epithelial cells treated with sodium chloride showed no changes in BFT-induced cellular rounding and IL-8 expression. Furthermore, HSD did not affect ETBF colonization in mice. In conclusion, HSD decreased ETBF-induced tumorigenesis through suppression of IL-17A and iNOS expression in the colon. HSD also inhibited colonic polyp numbers in the ETBF-infected AOM/DSS mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that a HSD consumption inhibited ETBF-promoted colon carcinogenesis in mice, indicating that a HSD could have beneficial effects under certain conditions

Structural basis for the transglycosylase activity of a GH57-type glycogen branching enzyme from Pyrococcus horikoshii

Glycogen branching enzyme (GBE) catalyzes the formation of alpha-1,6-branching points during glycogenesis by cleaving alpha-1,4 bonds and making new a-1,6 bonds. Most GBEs belong to the glycoside hydrolase 13 family (GH13), but new GBEs in the GH57 family have been isolated from Archaea. Here, we determined the crystal structure of a GH57 GBE from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii (PhGBE) at a resolution of 2.3 angstrom. PhGBE exhibits both alpha-1,6-branching activity and endo-alpha-1,4 hydrolytic activity. PhGBE has a central (beta/alpha)(7)-barrel domain that contains an embedded helix domain and an alpha-helix-rich C-terminal domain. The active-site cleft is located at the interface of the central and C-terminal domains. Amino acid substitution at Trp22, which is separate from the catalytic nucleophilic residue, abolished both enzymatic activities, indicating that Trp22 might be responsible for substrate recognition. We also observed that shortening of the flexible loop near the catalytic residue changed branched chain lengths of the reaction products with increased hydrolytic activity. Taken together, our findings propose a molecular mechanism for how GH57 GBEs exhibit the two activities and where the substrate binds the enzyme.OAIID:RECH_ACHV_DSTSH_NO:T201702142RECH_ACHV_FG:RR00200001ADJUST_YN:EMP_ID:A079611CITE_RATE:2.559DEPT_NM:농생명공학부EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:YN