Characteristics of Korean Suicide: A Case-control Psychological Autopsy Study

Translated from the article published in Korean Journal of Psychology: General, Vol.31, No. 2 (2012), with permission from the Korean Psychological Association.The pattern of psychological and clinical risk factors for suicide among Korean population is an important issue. This study aimed to identify the risk factor characteristics for Korean suicides. This case-control psychological autopsy (PA) study compared 56 suicide deceased with 36 living controls matched by age and gender. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with family members, cohabitants, and the next of kin of the subjects. Data were collected on a wide range of potential risk and protective factors, including demographic, life event, clinical and psychological variables. The relative contribution of these factors to suicide was examined using a binary logistic regression model. As a result, several factors were found to significantly and independently contribute to suicide: adjustment to work and school, trusting people, problem with cohabitants, unhappiness in childhood, history of past suicide attempts, psychiatric illness, psychological stress from life events, and difficulties with life in the aspect of object and duration. Though both case group and control group have life events and difficulties such as financial problem, relationship conflicts, and so on over the ratio of 90%, the level of stress in the case groups was significantly much more severe. Besides, psychological strain was found to play an important role in suicide. Risk factors for suicide in Korea are definitely similar to those in the West, China, and Japan

Resting-State Glucose Metabolism Level Is Associated with the Regional Pattern of Amyloid Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease

It has been suggested that glucose metabolism within the brain's default network is directly associated with—and may even cause—the amyloid pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we performed 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and [11C]-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB) positron emission tomography (PET) on cognitively normal elderly subjects and on AD patients and conducted quantitative regional analysis of FDG- and PIB-PET images using an automated region of interest technique. We confirmed that resting glucose metabolism within the posterior components of the brain's default network is high in normal elderly subjects and low in AD patients, which is partially in agreement with the regional pattern of PIB uptake within the default network of AD patients. However, in several regions outside the default network, glucose metabolism was high in normal elderly subjects but was not depressed in AD patients, who exhibited significantly increased PIB uptakes in these regions. In contrast, the level of resting glucose metabolism in the default network and in regions outside the default network in normal elderly subjects was significantly correlated with the level of regional PIB uptake in AD patients. These results are discussed with experimental evidence suggesting that beta amyloid production and amyloid precursor protein regulation are dependent on neuronal activity

Enhanced efficiency of crystalline Si solar cells based on kerfless-thin wafers with nanohole arrays

Several techniques have been proposed for kerfless wafering of thin Si wafers, which is one of the most essential techniques for reducing Si material loss in conventional wafering methods to lower cell cost. Proton induced exfoliation is one of promising kerfless techniques due to the simplicity of the process of implantation and cleaving. However, for application to high efficiency solar cells, it is necessary to cope with some problems such as implantation damage removal and texturing of (111) oriented wafers. This study analyzes the end-of-range defects at both kerfless and donor wafers and ion cutting sites. Thermal treatment and isotropic etching processes allow nearly complete removal of implantation damages in the cleaved-thin wafers. Combining laser interference lithography and a reactive ion etch process, a facile nanoscale texturing process for the kerfless thin wafers of a (111) crystal orientation has been developed. We demonstrate that the introduction of nanohole array textures with an optimal design and complete damage removal lead to an improved efficiency of 15.2% based on the kerfless wafer of a 48 mu m thickness using the standard architecture of the Al back surface field

Production of He-4 and (4) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV at the LHC

Results on the production of He-4 and (4) nuclei in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar <1, using the ALICE detector, are presented in this paper. The rapidity densities corresponding to 0-10% central events are found to be dN/dy4(He) = (0.8 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) x 10(-6) and dN/dy4 = (1.1 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.2 (syst)) x 10(-6), respectively. This is in agreement with the statistical thermal model expectation assuming the same chemical freeze-out temperature (T-chem = 156 MeV) as for light hadrons. The measured ratio of (4)/He-4 is 1.4 +/- 0.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst). (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

AUTHENTICITY IN ETHNIC RESTAURANTS: INVESTIGATING THE ROLES OF ETHNOCENTRISM AND XENOCENTRISM

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how perceived authenticity of ethnic restaurants interacts with personality traits (ethnocentrism and xenocentrism) to predict behavioural intentions. Methodology –A self-administered online questionnaire was utilized. First, participants answered questions to measure their level of ethnocentrism or xenocentrism, Next, they were presented with one of two scenarios (low or high authentic ethnic restaurant), followed by questions to measure their behavioural intentions. Approach – A total of 581 responses were analysed using regression analyses to examine the interaction effect of perceived authenticity and personality traits on behavioural intentions toward ethnic restaurants. Findings – Both ethnocentrism and xenocentrism attenuated the positive impact of perceived authenticity on behavioural intention. The extent to which people are influenced by the authenticity of ethnic restaurants was reduced for consumers with higher levels of ethnocentrism and xenocentrism, Originality of the research – This study examined the role of personality traits (ethnocentrism and xenocentrism), which are important but under-researched in the hospitality literature. Such a study is particularly important because a better understanding of these traits could demonstrate, contrary to popular belief, that authenticity is not always a factor in the success of ethnic restaurants