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BACKGROUND There is a lack of studies on metaverse-based career mentoring for college students in both the quantitative and qualitative research. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the effect of metaverse-based career mentoring among nursing students and explore the experiences of mentors and mentees. METHODS To test the effect of metaverse-based career mentoring, this study used a 1 group pretest–posttest and mixed-method design, in which focus group interviews were conducted regarding the participants’ experiences. A total of 8 mentors and 43 mentees participated in the metaverse-based career mentoring program, and 7 mentors and 12 mentees participated in the focus group interviews. The program covered 8 career fields and was delivered across 8 sessions of 60 minutes each, over 6 days. Platform and program satisfaction surveys were conducted among mentors and mentees, and career decision-making self-efficacy was measured before and after the program. We analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test. The qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. RESULTS After the metaverse-based career mentoring program, mentees’ career decision-making self-efficacy increased significantly compared to the baseline level. From the mentor and mentee focus group interviews, 3 key themes were derived: (i) communicating frankly and openly, (ii) being satisfied with realistic communication and program functions, and (iii) expecting an even more optimized program. CONCLUSIONS A metaverse-based career mentoring program for nursing students can have a positive effect on their career decision-making self-efficacy.

Background Sleep disturbance in pregnant women needs to be accurately assessed in a timely manner during pregnancy, to receive assessment-driven accurate intervention. This study aims to compare the factor structure of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among women in mid- and late pregnancy and evaluate the psychometric features of the Korean version of the PSQI. Methods The survey questionnaire with the PSQI, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, and pregnancy stress, was completed by 281 women in mid- or late pregnancy. Exploratory factor analysis determined the best factor structure of the PSQI, and the Pearson correlation coefficient examined a convergent validity with depressive symptoms and pregnancy stress. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach’s alpha. Results In both mid- and late-pregnancy women, a two-factor structure model was identified. However, each factor’s different components were named differently. For women in mid-pregnancy, it was named “quantitative sleep quality” and “subjective sleep quality,” and for those in later stages of pregnancy, they were named “perceived sleep quality” and “daily disturbance.” The PQSI score showed a significantly positive correlation between depressive symptoms and pregnancy stress in mid- (r = 0.57 and r = 0.39, respectively), and late pregnancy (r = 0.48 and 0.28, respectively). The overall Cronbach’s alpha for the PSQI was 0.63. Conclusions The Korean version of the PSQI demonstrated excellent construct and convergent validity, making it suitable to assess the sleep quality of women in middle to late stages of their pregnancy. The PSQI was found to have a two-factor structure in the mid-and late pregnancy, but the components were different. As sleep quality changes with each gestational stage, factors affecting it during mid- and late pregnancy need to be separately examined. It will make it easier for medical professionals to provide pregnant women sleeping irregularly, with the right kind of intervention.

본 연구는 한국의 다문화 담론이 본격적으로 형성된 지 20여 년이 다 되어 감에도 여전히 다문화수용성(multicultural acceptance)이 낮은 이유로 편향된 다문화정책을 그 원인 중 하나로 지적하고자 한다. 한국에서의 ‘다문화 담론은 1990년대 노동력의 감소 및 농촌 총각 등의 문제로 외국인근로자 및 결혼이주여성이 국내에 유입됨으로써 시작되었다. 다문화(multiple culture)란 말은 1970년대 서구 민주주의 국가에서 대두되기 시작한 이념으로 이와 관련한 논의는 각 국가의 역사적·현실적 맥락 등에 따라 상이하다. 서구 국가들의 다문화주의의 유형은 미국·캐나다·호주 등 ‘신대륙’ 이민자 국가들과 유럽 대륙 국가들로 구분할 수 있는데, 그 중 캐나다와 호주는 1960년대부터 자신들의 새로운 내셔널 아이덴티티(national identity)를 기초로 다문화주의의 원리를 채용하였으며, 백인과 그 외의 인종 통합을 목표로 하였다. 다문화주의는 한 국가 내의 민족 혹은 인종 간 다양한 문화를 인정하고 이를 사회적·문화적·정치적으로 수용하는 것으로, 각 국가 별로 이를 어떻게 개념화하느냐에 따라 정책의 유형이 달라진다. 한국의 경우 대부분의 다문화정책이 결혼이주여성과 외국인근로자 그리고 그들의 가족들과 관련된 것으로 국한됨으로써, ‘다문화’의 범위를 한정시키는 오류를 범하고 있다. 국내 소수집단의 인권 및 권리를 신장시키기 위해 도입된 정책이 오히려 ‘다문화’라는 그럴듯한 이름 아래 소수집단-주로 빈곤국 출신의 이주자-을 구별 짓고 차별하는 결과를 낳았다. 본 연구에서는 국내에서 이주민을 포용 혹은 수용하기 위하여 계획된 다문화정책이 실제적 의미의 ‘다문화주의’를 지향한다기보다는, 일부 외국인을 대상으로 편향되게 실시됨으로써 한국인의 다문화수용성에 악영향을 미쳤다고 가정한다. 더불어 이러한 편향된 다문화정책이 한국 내 제노포비아 현상을 증가시킨 하나의 원인이 되었음을 밝히고 그에 따른 대책 마련의 필요성을 주장하고자 한다.

The object of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting quality of life in parents with type 1 diabetes children. The design of this study was a cross-sectional survey. The participants of the study were 147 parents with type 1 diabetes children and data collection was conducted online survey. The data were analyzed by correlation and multiple regression analysis. The mean age of the participants was 40.65±5.22 year, female was 116 (78.9%), and there were 89 cases of two children. The total scores of quality of life in parents with type 1 diabetes children was 60.19±16.24 (range: 15.97~95.83) and diabetes family conflict scores was 27.35±6.09 (range: 19.00~57.00). The explanatory power of the quality of life in parents with type 1 diabetes children model which was constructed by three variables of gender of children, duration of disease, and diabetes family conflict was 25.0% (F=17.15, p

Background:University students are exposed to environments that may negatively influence their physical and mental health. New trends such as cooking shows may affect their eating habits.Objective:This study investigated factors such as general characteristics, diet, eating habits, and eating attitudes that may be associated with eating behavior disorders among university students in Korea.Methods:This descriptive research was conducted on 207 students who attend A University located in C city using an online self-administered questionnaire including questions on their general characteristics, eating habits, eating attitudes, and eating behavior disorders. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA and Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression (hierarchical) using SPSS.Results:Two independent variables and seven factors under general characteristics were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. In Model 1, the degree of eating behavior disorders was significantly higher among women (β = .17,p= .016) and those on diet compared to those not on diet (β = -.38,p< .001). Eating alone led to a higher degree of eating behavior disorders than eating with friends (β = -.23,p= .001). In Model 2, eating habits (β = -.24,p< .001) and eating attitudes (β = .27,p <.001) accounted for 27.4% of the explanatory power as factors affecting eating behavior disorders (F = 8.06,p< .001).Conclusion:Eating habits and attitudes affect the eating behavior of university students.

The AHNAK nucleoprotein has been determined to exert an anti-obesity effect in adipose tissue and further inhibit adipogenic differentiation. In this study, we examined the role of AHNAK in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism to prevent diet-induced fatty liver. Ahnak KO mice have reportedly exhibited reduced fat accumulation in the liver and decreased serum triglyceride (TG) levels when provided with either a normal chow diet or a high-fat diet (HFD). Gene expression profiling was used to identify novel factors that could be modulated by genetic manipulation of the Ahnak gene. The results revealed that fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was markedly increased in the livers of Ahnak KO mice compared with WT mice fed a HFD. Ahnak knockdown in hepatocytes reportedly prevented excessive lipid accumulation induced by palmitate treatment and was associated with increased secretion of FGF21 and the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, which are primarily downstream of PPARα. These results indicate that pronounced obesity and hepatic steatosis are attenuated in HFD-fed Ahnak KO mice. This may be attributed, in part, to the induction of FGF21 and regulation of lipid metabolism, which are considered to be involved in increased fatty acid oxidation and reduced lipogenesis in the liver. These findings suggest that targeting AHNAK may have beneficial implications in preventing or treating hepatic steatosis., Liver disease: A potential treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver A protein that modulates lipid accumulation could be a target for controlling nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The AHNAK protein regulates fat cell development, and mice lacking AHNAK are less susceptible to obesity after being fed a HFD. South Korean researchers led by Je Kyung Seong of Seoul National University and Yun Soo Bae of Ewha Womans University, Seoul, have identified a mechanism by which AHNAK inhibition prevents lipid accumulation in NAFLD. The authors profiled gene expression in AHNAK-deficient mice, and noted a striking increase in levels of a signaling protein called FGF21 in the liver. This elevated FGF21 was in turn linked to increased breakdown and reduced production of fatty acids. Therapeutic interventions that inhibit AHNAK could help control NAFLD, a hard-to-treat condition that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.

Background The Korean Radiation Oncology Group (KROG) 19 − 09 prospective cohort study aims to determine the effect of regional nodal irradiation on regional recurrence rates in ypN0 breast cancer patients. Dosimetric variations between radiotherapy (RT) plans of participating institutions may affect the clinical outcome of the study. We performed this study to assess inter-institutional dosimetric variations by dummy run. Methods Twelve participating institutions created RT plans for four clinical scenarios using computed tomography images of two dummy cases. Based on a reference structure set, we analyzed dose-volume histograms after collecting the RT plans. Results We found variations in dose distribution between institutions, especially in the regional nodal areas. Whole breast and regional nodal irradiation (WBI + RNI) plans had lower inter-institutional agreement and similarity for 95% isodose lines than WBI plans. Fleiss’s kappa values, which were used to measure inter-institutional agreement for the 95% isodose lines, were 0.830 and 0.767 for the large and medium breast WBI plans, respectively, and 0.731 and 0.679 for the large and medium breast WBI + RNI plans, respectively. There were outliers in minimum dose delivered to 95% of the structure (D95%) of axillary level 1 among WBI plans and in D95% of the interpectoral region and axillary level 4 among WBI + RNI plans. Conclusion We found inter-institutional and inter-case variations in radiation dose delivered to target volumes and organs at risk. As KROG 19 − 09 is a prospective cohort study, we accepted the dosimetric variation among the different institutions. Actual patient RT plan data should be collected to achieve reliable KROG 19 − 09 study results.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is diagnosed using absolute criteria that do not consider age and sex, but most studies have shown that the prevalence of MS increases with age in both sexes. Thus, the evaluation of MS should consider sex and age. We aimed to develop a new index that considers the age and sex for evaluating an individual’s relative overall MS status. Data of 16,518,532 subjects (8,671,838 males and 7,846,694 females) who completed a validated health survey of the National Health Insurance Service of the Republic of Korea (2014‒2015) were analyzed to develop an MS-biological age model. Principal component score analysis using waist circumference, pulse pressure, fasting blood sugar, triglyceride levels, and high-density lipoprotein level, but not age, as independent variables were performed to derive an index of health status and biological age. In both sexes, the age according to the MS-biological age model increased with rising smoking and alcohol consumption habits and decreased with rising physical activity. Particularly, smoking and drinking affected females, whereas physical activity affected males. The MS-biological age model can be a supplementary tool for evaluating and managing MS, quantitatively measuring the effect of lifestyle changes on MS, and motivating patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We investigate the matrix structure of the discrete system of the multiscale discontinuous Galerkin method (MDG) for general second order partial differential equations [ 10 ]. The MDG solution is obtained by composition of DG and the inter-scale operator. We show that the MDG matrix is given by the product of the DG matrix and the inter-scale matrix of the local problem. We apply an ILU preconditioned GMRES to solve the matrix equation effectively. Numerical examples are presented for convection dominated problems.

Purpose Emerging data suggest that higher radiation doses in post-mastectomy radiotherapy may be associated with an increased risk of reconstruction complications. This study aimed to validate previous findings regarding the impact of radiation dose on complications among women with breast cancer using a multi-center dataset. Methods Fifteen institutions participated, and women with breast cancer who received radiotherapy after either autologous or prosthetic breast reconstruction were included. The primary endpoint was major post-radiation therapy complications requiring re-operation for explantation, flap failure, or bleeding control. Results In total, 314 patients were included. Radiotherapy was performed using both conventional fractionation and hypofractionation in various schedules. The range of the radiation therapy dose in Equivalent Dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2; α/β = 3.5) varied from 43.4 to 71.0 Gy (median dose: 48.6 Gy). Boost radiation therapy was administered to 49 patients. Major post-radiation therapy complications were observed in 24 (7.6%) patients. In multivariate analysis, an increasing EQD2 per Gy (odds ratio [OR]: 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26–1.98; p, Highlights • Radiation dose is associated with the risk of breast reconstruction complications. • We conducted a retrospective multi-center observational study of 314 women in Korea. • Complication-related risk factors were identified using multivariate analysis. • Use of hypofractionated radiation therapy may improve breast reconstruction outcomes. • A prospective multi-center study is under way to further validate our findings.

It has been reported worldwide that the Zika virus (ZIKV) could be transmitted through placentas and sexual contact. ZIKV can also cause Guillain-Barre syndrome, microcephaly and neurological abnormalities. However, there are no approved vaccines available. We constructed six DNA vaccine candidates and tested the immunogenicity. Tandem repeated envelope domain Ⅲ (ED Ⅲ × 3) induced highly total IgG and neutralization antibody, as well as CD8+ T cell responses. Also, stem region-removed envelope (E ΔSTEM) elicited a robust production of IFN-γ in mice. To examine in vivo protection, we used mice treated with an IFNAR1 blocking antibody before and after the challenge. Vaccination with the two candidates led to a decline in the level of viral RNAs in organs. Moreover, the sera from the vaccinated mice did not enhance the infection of Dengue virus in K562 cells. These findings suggest the potential for the development of a novel ZIKV DNA vaccine.

본 연구는 사무직으로 해외 인턴십 프로그램에 참여한 대학생들이 현지에서 겪는 다양한 인턴십 경험과 어려움이 무엇인지 그리고 인턴십 경험이 취업준비에 어떠한 의미를 갖는지를 구체적으로 살펴보고자 하였다. 이를 위해 질적연구방법을 이용하여 국내 B대학교 재학 중 해외공기업과 공공기관 해외 인턴십 프로그램에 참여한 13명을 대상으로 심층인터뷰를 실시하고 핵심적인 경험내용을 도출하였다. 자료수집은 2019년 3월부터 2019년 8월까지 진행되었다. 연구결과 해외 인턴 경험은 해외 인턴의 일경험, 해외 인턴의 현지생활, 해외 인턴경험과 취업준비의 3개 범주로 구분되었다. 해외 인턴의 일경험은 학교에서 배울 수 없는 업무체험, 인턴의 조직적응 경험 그리고 현지인들과의 문화 간 업무소통 경험의 하위주제 영역이 도출되었다. 사무직 해외 인턴의 현지생활은 타국에서 처음으로 겪는 문화충격, 인간관계를 통한 현지적응 그리고 한국 대비 저소득국가에서 겪는 현지적응의 어려움으로 하위주제 영역이 도출되었다. 해외 인턴경험과 취업준비측면에서는 해외취업의 현실파악과 고민, 진로결정의 구체화 그리고 해외 인턴 자극과 진로준비가 도출되었다. 본 연구의 결과에 근거하여 대학생의 해외 인턴활동을 위한 제언과 시사점을 제시하였다.