Positive Equation-of-state Parameter in the Accelerating Dilaton Cosmology

In a semiclassically quantized two-dimensional cosmological model, it can be shown that the parameter of the equation of state for the accelerating universe can be positive due to the negative energy density and the negative pressure, which is a little different from the conventional wisdom that the parameter is negative with the positivity of the energy density. Furthermore, we show that the full parameter composed of the classical and the quantum-mechanical contributions is positive and finite even though the partial state parameter from the quantum-mechanical contribution is not positive definite, which means that the state parameter is not perturbatively additive in this model.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures; to appear in the Journal of Korean Physical Societ

Fabrication of a new type of organic-inorganic hybrid superlattice films combined with titanium oxide and polydiacetylene

We fabricated a new organic-inorganic hybrid superlattice film using molecular layer deposition [MLD] combined with atomic layer deposition [ALD]. In the molecular layer deposition process, polydiacetylene [PDA] layers were grown by repeated sequential adsorption of titanium tetrachloride and 2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-diol with ultraviolet polymerization under a substrate temperature of 100°C. Titanium oxide [TiO2] inorganic layers were deposited at the same temperatures with alternating surface-saturating reactions of titanium tetrachloride and water. Ellipsometry analysis showed a self-limiting surface reaction process and linear growth of the nanohybrid films. The transmission electron microscopy analysis of the titanium oxide cross-linked polydiacetylene [TiOPDA]-TiO2 thin films confirmed the MLD growth rate and showed that the films are amorphous superlattices. Composition and polymerization of the films were confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. The TiOPDA-TiO2 nanohybrid superlattice films exhibited good thermal and mechanical stabilities

Exactly Soluble Quantum Wormhole in Two Dimensions

We are presenting a quantum traversable wormhole in an exactly soluble two-dimensional model. This is different from previous works since the exotic negative energy that supports the wormhole is generated from the quantization of classical energy-momentum tensors. This explicit illustration shows the quantum-mechanical energy can be used as a candidate for the exotic source. As for the traversability, after a particle travels through the wormhole, the static initial wormhole geometry gets a back reaction which spoils the wormhole structure. However, it may still maintain the initial structure along with the appropriate boundary condition.Comment: v1. 13 pages, 1 figure, REVTeX3; v2. 1 Ref. added, REVTeX4, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Does Objective Structured Clinical Examinations Score Reflect the Clinical Reasoning Ability of Medical Students?

Abstract:BackgroundClinical reasoning ability is an important factor in a physician's competence and thus should be taught and tested in medical schools. Medical schools generally use objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) to measure the clinical competency of medical students. However, it is unknown whether OSCE can also evaluate clinical reasoning ability. In this study, the authors investigated whether OSCE scores reflected students' clinical reasoning abilities.MethodsSixty-five fourth-year medical students participated in this study. Medical students completed the OSCE with 4 cases using standardized patients. For assessment of clinical reasoning, students were asked to list differential diagnoses and the findings that were compatible or not compatible with each diagnosis. The OSCE score (score of patient encounter), diagnostic accuracy score, clinical reasoning score, clinical knowledge score and grade point average (GPA) were obtained for each student, and correlation analysis was performed.ResultsClinical reasoning score was significantly correlated with diagnostic accuracy and GPA (correlation coefficient = 0.258 and 0.380; P = 0.038 and 0.002, respectively) but not with OSCE score or clinical knowledge score (correlation coefficient = 0.137 and 0.242; P = 0.276 and 0.052, respectively). Total OSCE score was not significantly correlated with clinical knowledge test score, clinical reasoning score, diagnostic accuracy score or GPA.ConclusionsOSCE score from patient encounters did not reflect the clinical reasoning abilities of the medical students in this study. The evaluation of medical students' clinical reasoning abilities through OSCE should be strengthened