How Korean K-12 Educators Adapted to Online Teaching and Promoted Digital Equity During COVID-19: A Mixed-Method Study on Practices and Perceptions

The abrupt transitions to online teaching during COVID-19 have exacerbated educational discrepancies worldwide. South Korean schools faced similar challenges primarily due to the insufficient infrastructure and pedagogical guidelines for online teaching. This mixed-method case study investigated how Korean K-12 teachers and administrators converted to online teaching and addressed related digital equity issues during their first semester of online teaching in response to the pandemic. Interviews, as well as survey responses at the beginning and end of the semester, were analyzed through Activity Theory (AT) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) frameworks. The study's key insights were that the digital equity issue is related to quality teaching issues beyond infrastructural problems and that teachers took various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of their blended teaching. We aim to shed light on supporting equitable online learning and sustaining positive changes in the post-COVID era

Comparison of postoperative changes in the distal and proximal segments between conventional and sliding mini-plate fixation following mandibular setback

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the postoperative three-dimensional (3D) changes in the proximal segments after mandibular setback sagittal split ramus osteotomy and to compare the changes between the conventional mini-plate fixation and semi-rigid sliding plate fixation

Extreme Drug Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii Infections in Intensive Care Units, South Korea

BACKGROUND: Difference in adaptability responses to stress has been observed amongst bird species, strains, and individuals. Components of the HPA axis, one of the internal systems involved in homeostasis re-establishment following stress, could play a role in this variability of responses. The aim of the present study was 1) to identify genes involved in the regulation of adrenal activity following ACTH stimulation and 2) to examine adrenal genes differentially expressed in individuals with high and low plasma corticosterone response following ACTH treatment. RESULTS: Analysis with 21 K poultry oligo microarrays indicated that ACTH treatment affected the expression of 134 genes. Several transcripts assigned to genes involved in the adrenal ACTH signaling pathway and steroidogenic enzymes were identified as differentially expressed by ACTH treatment. Real-time PCR on 18 selected genes confirmed changes in transcript levels of 11 genes, including MC2R, CREM, Cry, Bmal1, Sqle, Prax1, and StAR. Only 4 genes revealed to be differentially expressed between higher and lower adrenal responders to ACTH treatment. CONCLUSION: The results from the present study reveal putative candidate genes; their role in regulation of adrenal functions and adaptability to stress should be further investigated

DIRECT CAROTID WALL SHEAR STRESS IN ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME PATIENTS DECREASED AFTER ONE MONTH MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

Fuente Fuente, Carlos;Montes Gil, Antonio;Periel Piquer, Montserra

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived magnetic extracellular nanovesicles for targeting and treatment of ischemic stroke

Exosomes and extracellular nanovesicles (NV) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) may be used for the treatment of ischemic stroke owing to their multifaceted therapeutic benefits that include the induction of angiogenesis, anti-apoptosis, and anti-inflammation. However, the most serious drawback of using exosomes and NV for ischemic stroke is the poor targeting on the ischemic lesion of brain after systemic administration, thereby yielding a poor therapeutic outcome. In this study, we show that magnetic NV (MNV) derived from iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP)-harboring MSC can drastically improve the ischemic-lesion targeting and the therapeutic outcome. Because IONP stimulated expressions of therapeutic growth factors in the MSC, MNV contained greater amounts of those therapeutic molecules compared to NV derived from naive MSC. Following the systemic injection of MNV into transient middle-cerebral-artery-occlusion (MCAO)-induced rats, the magnetic navigation increased the MNV localization to the ischemic lesion by 5.1 times. The MNV injection and subsequent magnetic navigation promoted the anti-inflammatory response, angiogenesis, and anti-apoptosis in the ischemic brain lesion, thereby yielding a considerably decreased infarction volume and improved motor function. Overall, the proposed MNV approach may overcome the major drawback of the conventional MSC-exosome therapy or NV therapy for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Performance Evaluation of the GlucoDr Plus Glucometer

Background: Because strict glucose control is important for reducing the complications of diabetes, the self-monitoring of blood glucose is one of the fundamental treatment modalities. Many glucometers have been developed. In the present study, we evaluated a new glucometer: GlucoDr (TM) Plus (Allmedicus, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea). Methods: The evaluation was performed based on Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Interferences by ascorbic acid, uric acid, maltose, and acetaminophen were examined, and the performance of the unit was compared to those of six other glucometers. The effects of hematocrit, of oxygen partial pressure (PaO(2)), and of multiple users were also evaluated. Results: Within-run, between-run, between- day, and total imprecision (coefficients of variation) were 0.99-4.98%. Satisfactory linearity was found for glucose concentrations of 32.5-786.5 mg/dL (R(2) = 0.9985). A comparison with the reference laboratory method showed close concordance over the entire range of concentrations evaluated (R(2) = 0.9869). No significant effects were noted due to added interferents, hematocrit, and PaO(2). Conclusions: The GlucoDr Plus showed acceptable performance in terms of precision and linearity. It was minimally affected by various interferents. GlucoDr Plus is suitable for the self-monitoring of blood glucose by patients with diabetes.Schleis TG, 2007, PHARMACOTHERAPY, V27, P1313Tsujimura S, 2006, BIOSCI BIOTECH BIOCH, V70, P654D`Orazio P, 2006, CLIN CHEM LAB MED, V44, P1486, DOI 10.1515/CCLM.2006.275Nathan DM, 2005, NEW ENGL J MED, V353, P2643Wild S, 2004, DIABETES CARE, V27, P1047*CLIN LAB STAND I, 2004, EP5A2 CLSI*CLIN LAB STAND I, 2003, EP6A CLSI*INT ORG STAND, 2003, 151972003E ISO*CLIN LAB STAND I, 2002, EP7A CLISTang ZP, 2001, CRIT CARE MED, V29, P1062Tang ZP, 2000, AM J CLIN PATHOL, V113, P75Turner RC, 1998, LANCET, V352, P837*CLIN LAB STAND I, 1995, EP9A CLSI1994, DIABETES CARE, V17, P81MERENSTEIN GB, 1993, PEDIATRICS, V92, P4741993, N ENGL J MED, V329, P977BARRETT AE, 1979, J CLIN PATHOL, V32, P893

Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation patterns in horse

Background: DNA methylation is an epigenetic regulatory mechanism that plays an essential role in mediating biological processes and determining phenotypic plasticity in organisms. Although the horse reference genome and whole transcriptome data are publically available the global DNA methylation data are yet to be known. Results: We report the first genome-wide DNA methylation characteristics data from skeletal muscle, heart, lung, and cerebrum tissues of thoroughbred (TH) and Jeju (JH) horses, an indigenous Korea breed, respectively by methyl-DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. The analysis of the DNA methylation patterns indicated that the average methylation density was the lowest in the promoter region, while the density in the coding DNA sequence region was the highest. Among repeat elements, a relatively high density of methylation was observed in long interspersed nuclear elements compared to short interspersed nuclear elements or long terminal repeat elements. We also successfully identified differential methylated regions through a comparative analysis of corresponding tissues from TH and JH, indicating that the gene body regions showed a high methylation density. Conclusions: We provide report the first DNA methylation landscape and differentially methylated genomic regions (DMRs) of thoroughbred and Jeju horses, providing comprehensive DMRs maps of the DNA methylome. These data are invaluable resource to better understanding of epigenetics in the horse providing information for the further biological function analyses.open1