The Effects of Diverse Polling Methods on the Estimation of Candidates Approval Ratings: The Case of 19th Presidential Election in South Korea

In election polls, do the RLC (the ratio of landline surveying to cellphone surveying), response rate, ARS (Auto Response System) influence the estimation of candidates approval ratings and the gap between them? Using data on 86 election polls during the 19th presidential election, this paper empirically analyzes the effects of different polling methods – RLC, response rate, and ARS – on the estimation of approval ratings of electoral candidates. The results of empirical analysis show that the approval rating of Moon Jae-in (the progressive candidate who receives overwhelming support from the 20s and the 30s) tends to increase in election polls where the proportion of cellphone surveying is high, response rate is low, and ARS is adopted. After all, the result suggests that the deep generational cleavage and the solidity of the supporters are being reflected in election polls

Selective separation and preconcentration of Th(IV) using organo-functionalized, hierarchically porous silica monoliths

The potential application of thorium (Th) as nuclear fuel, as well as the environmental and public health concerns associated with it, promotes the development of economic and sustainable materials for the separation and removal of Th(IV) from minerals and environmental samples. In this work, centimeter-size, porous silica monoliths exhibiting hierarchical macroporosity-mesoporosity -and a robust silica skeleton were prepared using a sol−gel process combined with post-synthetic hydrothermal treatment in ammonium hydroxide. Upon functionalization with diglycolamide (DGA), the monolithic silica was used as a column-type fixed bed sorbent for continuous flow extraction. An enhanced Th(IV) uptake from aqueous solution was achieved with high enrichment factor and selectivity in the presence of competitive ions such as rare earth elements (REEs) and uranium (U). Systematic mechanistic studies show that the hierarchical pore system is crucial for enhanced adsorption kinetics and capacity. Two mineral leachates were used to assess the performances of the hybrid material, and despite the complex ion matrix and high ionic composition, the sorbent shows highly efficient recovery of Th(IV). The material was able to undergo 10 extraction-stripping-regeneration cycles, which bode well for potential industrial applications

Outcomes of trauma education workshop in Vietnam: improving diagnostic and surgical skills

Abstract Background Unintentional injuries have emerged as a significant public health issue in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), especially in Vietnam, where there is a poor quality of care for trauma. A scarcity of formal and informal training opportunities contributes to a lack of structure for treating trauma in Vietnam. A collaborative trauma education project by the JW LEE Center for Global Medicine in South Korea and the Military Hospital 175 in Vietnam was implemented to enhance trauma care capacity among medical staff across Ho Chi Minh City in 2018. We aimed to evaluate a part of the trauma education project, a one-day workshop that targeted improving diagnostic and surgical skills among the medical staff (physicians and nurses). Methods A one-day workshop was offered to medical staff across Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2018. The workshop was implemented to enhance the trauma care knowledge of providers and to provide practical and applicable diagnostic and surgical skills. To evaluate the workshop outcomes, we utilized a mixed-methods survey data. All participants (n = 27) voluntarily completed the post-workshop questionnaire. Quality of contents, satisfaction with teaching skills, and perceived benefit were used as outcomes of the workshop, measured by 5-point Likert scales (score: 1–5). Descriptive statistics were performed, and open-ended questions were analyzed by recurring themes. Results The results from the post-workshop questionnaire demonstrated that the participants were highly satisfied with the quality of the workshop contents (mean = 4.32 standard deviation (SD) = 0.62). The mean score of the satisfaction regarding the teaching skills was 4.19 (SD = 0.61). The mean score of the perceived benefit from the workshop was 4.17 (SD = 0.63). The open-ended questions revealed that the program improved their knowledge in complex orthopedic surgeries neglected prior to training. Conclusions Positive learning experiences highlighted the need for the continuation of the international collaboration of skill development and capacity building for trauma care in Vietnam and other LMIC

Source-Frequency Phase-Referencing Observation of AGNs with KaVA Using Simultaneous Dual-Frequency Receiving

The KVN(Korean VLBI Network)-style simultaneous multi-frequency receiving mode is demonstrated to be promising for mm-VLBI observations. Recently, other Very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) facilities all over the globe start to implement compatible optics systems. Simultaneous dual/multi-frequency VLBI observations at mm wavelengths with international baselines are thus possible. In this paper, we present the results from the first successful simultaneous 22/43 GHz dual-frequency observation with KaVA(KVN and VERA array), including images and astrometric results. Our analysis shows that the newly implemented simultaneous receiving system has brought a significant extension of the coherence time of the 43 GHz visibility phases along the international baselines. The astrometric results obtained with KaVA are consistent with those obtained with the independent analysis of the KVN data. Our results thus confirm the good performance of the simultaneous receiving systems for the non-KVN stations. Future simultaneous observations with more global stations bring even higher sensitivity and micro-arcsecond level astrometric measurements of the targets.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, Published in JKA

How do caregivers of children with congenital heart diseases access and navigate the healthcare system in Ethiopia?

Background Surgery can correct congenital heart defects, but disease management in low- and middle-income countries can be challenging and complex due to a lack of referral system, financial resources, human resources, and infrastructure for surgical and post-operative care. This study investigates the experiences of caregivers of children with CHD accessing the health care system and pediatric cardiac surgery. Methods A qualitative study was conducted at a teaching hospital in Ethiopia. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 caregivers of 10 patients with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery. We additionally conducted chart reviews for triangulation and verification. Interviews were conducted in Amharic and then translated into English. Data were analyzed according to the principles of interpretive thematic analysis, informed by the candidacy framework. Results The following four observations emerged from the interviews: (a) most patients were diagnosed with CHD at birth if they were born at a health care facility, but for those born at home, CHD was discovered much later (b) many patients experienced misdiagnoses before seeking care at a large hospital, (c) after diagnosis, patients were waiting for the surgery for more than a year, (d) caregivers felt anxious and optimistic once they were able to schedule the surgical date. During the care-seeking journey, caregivers encountered financial constraints, struggled in a fragmented delivery system, and experienced poor service quality. Conclusions Delayed access to care was largely due to the lack of early CHD recognition and financial hardships, related to the inefficient and disorganized health care system. Fee waivers were available to assist low-income children in gaining access to health services or medications, but application information was not readily available. Indirect costs like long-distance travel contributed to this challenge. Overall, improvements must be made for district-level screening and the health care workforce.This research was funded by the JW LEE Center for Global Medicine of Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, the Republic of Korea

Case report: Investigation of genetic mutations in a case of schistosomus reflexus in a Holstein dairy cattle fetus in Korea

Schistosomus reflexus (SR) is one of the most common congenital anomalies found in cases of cattle dystocia; this disorder occurs mostly in cattle. Congenital anomalies such as SR are caused by various genetic and environmental factors, but no specific cause has been elucidated for SR. This study reports a case of SR in a Holstein dairy cattle fetus with congenital anomalies in Korea. Grossly, a distinct spine curvature was observed between the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, accompanied by a consequential malformation from the sacrum to the occipital bone. Furthermore, the thoracic and abdominal organs were exposed. In computed tomography (CT) images, mild and severe kyphoscoliosis was observed in T1~11 and L1~6, respectively. Additionally, vertebral dysplasia was observed in S1~5 and Cd 1~5. To pinpoint the causal genes and mutations, we leveraged a custom 50K Hanwoo SNP-Chip and the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA) database. As a result, we identified a nonsense mutation in apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (APAF1) within HH1 that was associated with a decrease in conception rate and an increase in abortion in Holstein dairy cattle. The genotype of the SR case was A/A, and most of the 1,142 normal Holstein dairy cattle tested as a control group had the genotype G/G. In addition, the A/A genotype did not exist in the control group. Based on the pathological, genetic, and radiological findings, the congenital abnormalities observed were diagnosed as SR

Observation of the Far-ultraviolet Continuum Background with SPEAR/FIMS

We present the general properties of the far-ultraviolet (FUV; 1370-1720A) continuum background over most of the sky, obtained with the Spectroscopy of Plasma Evolution from Astrophysical Radiation instrument (SPEAR, also known as FIMS), flown aboard the STSAT-1 satellite mission. We find that the diffuse FUV continuum intensity is well correlated with N_{HI}, 100 $\mu$m, and H-alpha intensities but anti-correlated with soft X-ray. The correlation of the diffuse background with the direct stellar flux is weaker than the correlation with other parameters. The continuum spectra are relatively flat. However, a weak softening of the FUV spectra toward some sight lines, mostly at high Galactic latitudes, is found not only in direct-stellar but also in diffuse background spectra. The diffuse background is relatively softer that the direct stellar spectrum. We also find that the diffuse FUV background averaged over the sky has about the same level as the direct-stellar radiation field in the statistical sense and a bit softer spectrum compared to direct stellar radiation. A map of the ratio of 1400-1510A to 1560-1660A shows that the sky is divided into roughly two parts. However, this map shows a lot of patchy structures on small scales. The spatial variation of the hardness ratio seems to be largely determined by the longitudinal distribution of spectral types of stars in the Galactic plane. A correlation of the hardness ratio with the FUV intensity at high intensities is found but an anti-correlation at low intensities. We also find evidence that the FUV intensity distribution is log-normal in nature.Comment: 39 pages, 26 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Subdermal Flexible Solar Cell Arrays for Powering Medical Electronic Implants

A subdermally implantable flexible photovoltatic (IPV) device is proposed for supplying sustainable electric power to in vivo medical implants. Electric properties of the implanted IPV device are characterized in live animal models. Feasibility of this strategy is demonstrated by operating a flexible pacemaker with the subdermal IPV device which generates DC electric power of ≈647 μW under the skin

Quality of life in patients with diabetic nephropathy: findings from the KNOW-CKD (Korean Cohort Study for Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease) cohort

Background Diabetic nephropathy (DN) can affect quality of life (QoL) because it requires arduous lifelong management. This study analyzed QoL differences between DN patients and patients with other chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). Methods The analysis included subjects (n = 1,766) from the KNOW-CKD (Korean Cohort Study for Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease) cohort who completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form questionnaire. After implementing propensity score matching (PSM) using factors that affect the QoL of DN patients, QoL differences between DN and non-DN participants were examined. Results Among all DN patients (n = 390), higher QoL scores were found for taller subjects, and lower scores were found for those who were unemployed or unmarried, received Medical Aid, had lower economic status, had higher platelet counts or alkaline phosphatase levels, or used clopidogrel or insulin. After PSM, the 239 matched DN subjects reported significantly lower patient satisfaction (59.9 vs. 64.5, p = 0.02) and general health (35.3 vs. 39.1, p = 0.04) than the 239 non-DN subjects. Scores decreased in both groups during the 5-year follow-up, and the scores in the work status, sexual function, and role-physical domains were lower among DN patients than non-DN patients, though those differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion Socioeconomic factors of DN were strong risk factors for impaired QoL, as were high platelet, alkaline phosphatase, and clopidogrel and insulin use. Clinicians should keep in mind that the QoL of DN patients might decrease in some domains compared with non-DN CKDs

The Greenland Telescope: Construction, Commissioning, and Operations in Pituffik

In 2018, the Greenland Telescope (GLT) started scientific observation in Greenland. Since then, we have completed several significant improvements and added new capabilities to the telescope system. This paper presents a full review of the GLT system, a summary of our observation activities since 2018, the lessons learned from the operations in the Arctic regions, and the prospect of the telescope.Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, and 8 tables. This is the version of the article before publication editing, as submitted by an author to Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record will be added when it becomes availabl