Influential factors in the out-of-class activities of Korean college students

This study aimed to explore who participates in what kinds of out-of-class activities in Korea\u27s universities. Therefore, the researchers examine whether differences exist in the pattern of out-of-class experiences according to the individual characteristics of the students, including gender, grade, household income level, high school performance and major. The researchers also aimed to examine the empirical evidence to determine the relationships between the patterns in out-of-class activities and the institutional characteristics of the university that the student attends. In terms of the institutional characteristics, this study is concerned with the location and size of the university. To explore these questions, the researchers analyzed K-NSSE data with hierarchical linear modeling. In sum, the findings of the statistical analysis of this study support the results of the preceding research in which different personal and institutional characteristics are related to five types of out-of-class activities. (DIPF/Orig.

The relationship between participation in out-of-class activities and cognitive and social outcomes of Korean college students

In the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, higher education institutions should change practices of educational programs and services, which are mainly based on traditional classroom-based instructions, to allow students to have more diverse experiences. Since college students spend relatively more time engaged in out-of-class activities than attending regular courses, it is necessary to examine how participating in out-of-class programs is related to cultivation of the competencies that the future demands. This study explores the relationship between out-of-class activity participation and perceived change in cognitive and social outcomes of Korean college students. Five out-of-class activities were examined: learning community, undergraduate research, service learning, internship, and residential college programs. K-NSSE (Korea-National Survey of Student Engagement) data were analyzed using hierarchical linear model analysis. The study findings are consistent with the results of previous research that demonstrated a positive association between participating in out-of-class activities and students\u27 cognitive and social outcomes. (DIPF/Orig.

Redirected Walking in Infinite Virtual Indoor Environment Using Change-blindness

We present a change-blindness based redirected walking algorithm that allows a user to explore on foot a virtual indoor environment consisting of an infinite number of rooms while at the same time ensuring collision-free walking for the user in real space. This method uses change blindness to scale and translate the room without the user's awareness by moving the wall while the user is not looking. Consequently, the virtual room containing the current user always exists in the valid real space. We measured the detection threshold for whether the user recognizes the movement of the wall outside the field of view. Then, we used the measured detection threshold to determine the amount of changing the dimension of the room by moving that wall. We conducted a live-user experiment to navigate the same virtual environment using the proposed method and other existing methods. As a result, users reported higher usability, presence, and immersion when using the proposed method while showing reduced motion sickness compared to other methods. Hence, our approach can be used to implement applications to allow users to explore an infinitely large virtual indoor environment such as virtual museum and virtual model house while simultaneously walking in a small real space, giving users a more realistic experience.Comment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ZKavhXxd

Combination of Dexmedetomidine and Ketamine for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Sedation

Objectives: The use of dexmedetomidine and ketamine (DEX–KET) combination for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sedation has not been evaluated. We investigated the efficacy and safety of DEX–KET for sedation of patients undergoing MRI of the brain.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted to compare the DEX–KET combination and midazolam for MRI sedation. We included 72 patients undergoing brain MRI following bolus injection of midazolam or DEX–KET. In August 1, 2016 a new MRI sedation protocol was implemented. After protocol implementation, bolus doses of DEX–KET were administered (DEX–KET group). Thirty-six patients from the MIDA group and 36 patients from the DEX–KET group underwent MRI sequences and were compared regarding the MRI scan time and sedation-related complications (desaturation, hypotension, cardiorespiratory arrest, and aspiration pneumonia).Results: All MRI sequences were completed for 30 patients (83.3%) from the MIDA group and for 33 patients (91.7%) from the DEX–KET group (P = 0.476). The median MRI scan time was 100.0 min (interquartile range, 87.0–111.5 min) in the MIDA group and 53.5 min (interquartile range, 45.0–60.5 min) in the DEX–KET group (P < 0.001). Complications occurred in 24 (66.7%) and 8 (22.2%) patients of the MIDA and DEX–KET group, respectively (P < 0.001).Conclusions: The efficacy of DEX–KET sedation was comparable to that of midazolam for MRI examination. DEX–KET was related to shorter scan time and lower occurrence of complications compared to midazolam

Primary Gastric Small Cell Carcinoma: A Case Identified as a Large Subepithelial Tumor from Invisible State in 6 Months

Primary gastric small cell carcinoma (GSCC) is one of the gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. It is a rare cancer with a very aggressive behavior and a poor prognosis because of the high rate of metastases. It is usually found in far advanced stage. We experienced a case of GSCC which had developed into a large subepithelial tumor (SET) from invisible state in a short period. A 65-year-old man consulted our hospital because of early gastric cancer. He underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for the early gastric cancer at high body posterior wall. After 6 months, the follow-up endoscopy showed a large newly developed SET-like lesion with central ulceration at the gastric cardia. Endoscopic biopsy revealed GSCC. Total gastrectomy was performed. One out of the 26 perigastric lymph nodes had a metastasis. He received 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with etoposide and cisplatin. He is still in good health 12 months after operation

Clinical outcomes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species: A retrospective matched case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Clinical outcomes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing <it>Escherichia coli </it>and <it>Klebsiella </it>species (ESBL-EK) have not been adequately investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a retrospective matched case-control study to evaluate the outcomes of SBP due to ESBL-EK compared with those due to non-ESBL-EK. Cases were defined as patients with liver cirrhosis and SBP due to ESBL-EK isolated from ascites. Control patients with liver cirrhosis and SBP due to non-ESBL-EK were matched in a 3:1 ratio to cases according to the following five variables: age (± 5 years); gender; species of infecting organism; Child-Pugh score (± 2); Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (± 2). 'Effective initial therapy' was defined as less than 72 hours elapsing between the time of obtaining a sample for culture and the start of treatment with an antimicrobial agent to which the EK was susceptible. Cephalosporin use for ESBL-EK was considered 'ineffective', irrespective of the minimum inhibitory concentration. ESBL production was determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines on stored isolates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 1026 episodes of SBP in 958 patients from Jan 2000 through Dec 2006, 368 (35.9%) episodes in 346 patients were caused by SBP due to EK, isolated from ascites. Of these 346 patients, twenty-six (7.5%) patients with SBP due to ESBL-EK were compared with 78 matched controls. Treatment failure, evaluated at 72 hours after initial antimicrobial therapy, was greater among the cases (15/26, 58% <it>vs</it>. 10/78, 13%, <it>P </it>= .006); 30-day mortality rate was also higher than in the controls (12/26, 46% <it>vs</it>. 11/78, 15%, <it>P </it>= .001). When the case were classified according to the effectiveness of the initial therapy, 'ineffective initial therapy' was associated with higher 30-day mortality rate (11/18, 61% <it>vs</it>. 1/8, 13%, <it>P </it>= .036).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>SBP due to ESBL-EK had poorer outcomes than SBP due to non-ESBL-EK. Ineffective initial therapy seems to be responsible for the higher rate of treatment failure and mortality in SBP due to ESBL-EK.</p

Depression, antidepressant use, and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a nationally representative cohort study

BackgroundPrevious studies have reported that depression can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, they did not sufficiently consider antidepressants or comorbidity.MethodsThe National Health Insurance Sharing Service database was used. Among the sample population, 276,048 subjects who had been diagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants (DEP with antidepressants group) and 79,119 subjects who had been diagnosed with depression but not prescribed antidepressants (DEP without antidepressants group) were found to be eligible for this study. Healthy controls (HCs) were 1:1 matched with the DEP with antidepressants group for age and sex. We followed up with them for the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.ResultsIn the group of DEP with antidepressants, although the risk of type 2 diabetes increased compared to HCs in a crude analysis, it decreased when comorbidity was adjusted for. In the group of DEP without antidepressants, the risk of type 2 diabetes decreased both in the crude model and the adjusted models. The risk varied by age group and classes or ingredients of antidepressants, with young adult patients showing an increased risk even in the fully adjusted model.ConclusionOverall, those with depression had a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. However, the risk varied according to the age at onset, comorbidity, and type of antidepressants