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This paper reports on a study that employed metacognitive and sociocultural theoretical frameworks to examine students’ metacognitive regulation in a collaborative problem-solving context. Specifically, we attempted to understand how elementary students’ (5th and 6th graders) metacognitive regulation could be activated when students worked collaboratively in small groups in a science classroom, and how metacognitive regulation could assist students’ scientific problem solving. To achieve this research purpose, we employed descriptive and interpretive case study. Two groups of four students were selected as focus groups. Both groups included a mix of genders (female and male) and ages (grade 5 and 6). Qualitative data, such as video records of classroom learning and interactions and semistructured interviews, were collected over a three-month research period. Through case analysis of those data, we found that factors such as anomalies in task performances, different ideas appearing during students’ collaborative problem-solving activities, and uncertainty concerning these ideas had the potential to activate students’ metacognitive regulation. Through further exploration, we also found that students’ attitudes towards both their collaboration and different ideas emerging during their group work, as the underlying mechanism for activating metacognitive regulation, could influence whether the aforementioned factors work or not. Moreover, this study demonstrated that students’ metacognitive regulation could positively impact many aspects of scientific problem solving.

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is a promising tool to monitor depression and relevant symptoms. However, the multimodal IoMT monitoring system has been rarely developed considering the characteristics of older adults, particularly living in the community. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to develop multimodal IoMT monitoring systems tailored for older adults and evaluate the feasibility for research and practice. We developed a multimodal IoMT monitoring system that included a smartphone for facial and verbal expressions, smartwatch for activity and heart rates, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) application. A convenience sample of 21 older Korean adults aged over 65 years was recruited from a community center, and 19 participants completed it. The data were collected in four weeks using self-report questionnaires, IoMT devices, and semi-structured interviews between July and December 2020 and were analyzed in mixed methods. Based on the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form scores, eight participants were classified in the depressive group (38.1%) and 13 in the non-depressive group (61.9%). A total of 1,505 (70.72%) EMA data were collected, and 1,277 (60.00%) were analyzed. Furthermore, 1,421 (66.78%) facial expression data were collected and labeled, including anger, happiness, neutral, sadness, surprise, and exception. Voice dialogues were transformed into 5,264 scripts. The depressive group showed lower user acceptance relative to the non-depressive group. However, both groups experienced positive emotions, had regular life patterns, and increased their self-interest. Thus, our multimodal IoMT monitoring system is a feasible and useful measure for acquiring mental health information in older adults’ depression.

Research shows that various stereotypes about science and science learning, such as science being filled with hard and dry content, laboratory experiments, and male-dominated work environments, hav...

Owing to a recent push toward one-dimensional nanomaterials, in this study, we report a seed-mediated synthetic strategy for copper nanowires (Cu NWs) production involving thermal decomposition of metal-surfactant complexes in an organic medium. Ultra-long Cu NWs with a high aspect ratio and uniform diameter were obtained by separating nucleation and growth steps. The underlying mechanism for nanowire formation was investigated, in addition, properties of the obtained Cu NWs were also characterized using diverse analysis techniques. The performance of resulting Cu NWs as transparent electrodes was demonstrated for potential application. This article can provide information on both new synthetic pathway and potential use of Cu NWs.

Objectives We aimed to examine the effects of various leisure activities on cognitive impairment in young-old (aged 65-74 years) and old-old (aged ≥ 75 years) adults. Methods In total, 10,279 elderly Korean individuals from the 2014 Korean National Survey on Older Adults' cohort were enrolled in our study. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the standardized score of the Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening, whereas leisure activities were recorded via self-reporting of the extent and type of leisure activity the subjects involved in over the past year. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effect of leisure activities on cognitive impairment, while controlling for potential covariates. Results The subjects were more likely to participate in cognitive activities than in non-exercise physical activities. After controlling for selected covariates, involvement in cognitive activities was found to be a significant predictor of cognitive impairment in both the groups, whereas involvement in non-exercise physical activities was not a predictor of cognitive impairment in individuals aged ≥ 75 years. Moreover, depressive symptoms, rural residence, and hearing difficulties were common predictors of cognitive impairment among elderly-Korean-individuals. Conclusion Leisure activity involvement may help delay cognitive impairment, which is often concomitant with aging. Hence, an early intervention service may significantly benefit both young-old and old-old individuals.

Renewable and nuclear energy are two plausible alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy production. This study reports students’ beliefs about the usefulness of these two options in reducing global warming and their willingness to undertake actions that would encourage their uptake. Using a specially designed questionnaire, students’ (n > 12,000; grades 6 to 10) responses were obtained from 11 countries. Links between their beliefs about these energy options and their willingness to act were quantified using a range of novel derived indices: significant differences between beliefs and willingness to act were found across the various counties. One derived index, the Potential Effectiveness of Education, measures the extent to which enhancing a person’s belief in the effectiveness of an action might increase their willingness to undertake that action: this indicated that education may impact willingness to act in some countries more than others. Interpretations are proffered for the reported differences between countries including whether the extent of students’ concern about global warming had impacted their decisions and whether cultural attributes had any influence. Pedagogical ways forward are related to the findings.

With an increasing challenge of socioscientific issues in the current society, students’ critical thinking and decision-making skills in complex problem contexts become pivotal aspects of scientific literacy for the twenty-first century citizenship. To ensure students are prepared for the changing and challenging world, problem-based learning (PBL) has been practiced to develop the capacity of students’ critical thinking, evidence-based decision-making and creative problem solving in problem contexts. Critical literacy skills have become essential in socioscientific and environmental problem solving contexts, as well as children’s literacy practices at home and in school. Yet there have not been many studies on children’s critical literacy skills and practices, especially critical evaluation on web-based information in science education. This study looks into a) what critical literacy practices children are engaged with when understanding local environmental issues and b) what are some ways teachers can teach these critical literacy skills in science classrooms. Twenty-four children in a Grade 5–6 combined class in an elementary school in Western Canada participated in this study. Children’s problem solving activities were video/audio taped and classroom artefacts (children’s writings, drawings, designs, etc.) were collected for data analysis. Thematic coding (open, axial, and selective coding) was employed to understand classroom interactions and critical literacy aspects throughout problem solving processes. The findings show (a) children practiced various review strategies such as cross-checking, member checking, and evaluating authorities of information to validate information in web space and (b) teachers strategized scaffolding for students’ problem solving activities such as questioning, motivating, and inviting experts’ knowledge. This study suggests that critical literacy and environmental problem solving skills can be co-constructed with teachers and students together in a problem solving inquiry project.

We investigate the effect of Si random pyramid texturing on 1.7eV/1.1eV GaAs0.77P0.23/Si 2-terminal tandem solar cells (hereafter GaAsP/Si). Due to the light trapping effect, rear surface texturing increases the short-circuit current density of the Si bottom cell by 2.76 mA/cm2 relative to an untextured cell. For the GaAsP top cell, we investigate the use of lattice-matched AlGaAsP as the back surface field (BSF) layer and also as an intermediate barrier between the n-GaAsP emitter and n-AlInP window. Despite parasitic absorption in the n-AlGaAsP barrier, our 1.0 cm2 GaAsP/Si tandem cell with backside textured Si bottom cell exhibits an NREL-certified AM1.5G efficiency of 18.7%. A reduction of device area from 1.0 cm2 to 0.13 cm2 results in an efficiency of 19.5% due to lower series resistance. Development of >20%-efficient tandem cells is ongoing.

목적: 본 연구는 노루궁뎅이 버섯 추출물의 멜라닌 합성 및 산화 스트레스 조절에 미치는 영향을 조사하는데 그 목적이 있다. 방법: 노루궁뎅이 버섯은 각각 95% 에탄올과 증류수로 추출하였고, 에탄올 추출물은 다시 증류수와 클로로포름으로 분획하였 다. 멜라닌 합성량은 B16F1 세포를 통해 확인하였고, 노루궁뎅이 버섯 추출물의 세포 독성은 B16F1 세포와 HaCaT 세포를 통해 MTT assay 방법으로 확인하였다. 또한, β-catenin/Tcf 활성은 luciferase assay를 통해 측정하였다. 항산화 효과는 TBHP 처리 후 DCFDA 발현정도로 확인하였다. 결과: Wnt 신호전달기전의 리간드인 Wnt3a는 β-catenin의 신호전달 및 멜라닌 합성을 증 가시키는 반면, 노루궁뎅이 버섯 추출물은 Wnt3a에 의해 유도된 멜라닌 합성을 감소시켰다. 또한, 노루궁뎅이 버섯 추출물은 농 도의존적으로 β-catenin 활성도를 억제하였고, 산화 스트레스가 유도된 케라티노사이트에서의 항산화 효과를 나타내었다. 그리고 본 연구에서 사용된 케라티노사이트와 멜라노마 세포에서의 세포 독성은 크지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 결론: 노루궁뎅이 버섯 추출물은 미백기능성 및 항산화 화장품 소재로서의 가능성이 있을 것으로 사료된다

To enhance Aboriginal students’ educational opportunities in sciences, culturally relevant science curriculum has been examined and practiced in Western Canadian science classrooms. This article shares some examples of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in science curricula and discusses the improvement and challenges of culturally relevant science curricula in Canadian contexts.

Objectives The aim of this study was to develop a new prognostic classification for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients using gradient boosting (GB) and to compare the accuracy of the prognostic model with the conventional statistical method. Methods Information of EOC patients from Samsung Medical Center (training cohort, n=1,128) was analyzed to optimize the prognostic model using GB. The performance of the final model was externally validated with patient information from Asan Medical Center (validation cohort, n=229). The area under the curve (AUC) by the GB model was compared to that of the conventional Cox proportional hazard regression analysis (CoxPHR) model. Results In the training cohort, the AUC of the GB model for predicting second year overall survival (OS), with the highest target value, was 0.830 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.802–0.853). In the validation cohort, the GB model also showed high AUC of 0.843 (95% CI=0.833–0.853). In comparison, the conventional CoxPHR method showed lower AUC (0.668 (95% CI=0.617–0.719) for the training cohort and 0.597 (95% CI=0.474–0.719) for the validation cohort) compared to GB. New classification according to survival probability scores of the GB model identified four distinct prognostic subgroups that showed more discriminately classified prediction than the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system. Conclusion Our novel GB-guided classification accurately identified the prognostic subgroups of patients with EOC and showed higher accuracy than the conventional method. This approach would be useful for accurate estimation of individual outcomes of EOC patients.

In (science) education, primacy is given to agency, the human capability to act and, in this, to learn. However, phenomenological philosophers and societal-historical psychologists point out that agency, the purposeful (intentional) engagement with the world, is only the effect of a much more profound capacity: passibility, the capacity to be affected. In this study, we begin with what has been recognized as a fundamental condition of learning: learners cannot intentionally orient to the learning outcome because they inherently do not know it so that that knowledge cannot be the object of intention. In this study, we provide evidence for three empirically grounded assertions: (a) children do not intend new knowledge and understanding, which instead give themselves in and through materials and material configurations; (b) knowing-how is received (as unintended gifts) because our bodies are endowed with passibility, the capability to be affected; and (c) the new knowledge and understanding exists as and in social relation first. We suggest implications for engineering design in science classrooms.

Research on young children's reasoning show the complex relationships of knowledge, theories, and evidence in their decision-making and problem solving. Most of the research on children's reasoning skills has been done in individualized and formal research settings, not collective classroom environments where children often engage in learning and reasoning together to solve classroom problems. This study posits children's reasoning as a collective social activity that can occur in science classrooms. The study examined how children process their reasoning within the context of Grade 2/3 science classrooms and how the process of collectivity emerges from classroom interactions and dialogue between children as they attempt to solve their classroom problems. The study findings suggest that children's reasoning involves active evaluation of theories and evidence through collective problem solving, with consensus being developed through dialogical reasoning.

Allogenic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs) are an alternative source for cytotherapy owing to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Frozen-thawed allogenic Ad-MSCs can be used instantly for this purpose. However, the viability and function of frozen-thawed Ad-MSCs have not been clearly evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare the viability and function of Ad-MSCs and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)-overexpressed Ad-MSCs in vitro after freeze-thawing. The viability, proliferation, antioxidant capacity and mRNA gene expression of growth factors were evaluated. Frozen-thawed cells showed significantly lower viability than fresh cells (77% for Ad-MSCs and 71% for HO-1 Ad-MSCs, P

With increasing technological changes and needs in society, technology and engineering education has received much attention in school science. Yet, technology traditionally has been subordinated to science or simply taken as the application of science. This position has resulted in a limited understanding of teaching technological and engineering education. This study questions the traditional view of technology in school science by examining children’s action and learning in the course of designing and building cantilever bridges in science classrooms. We adapt Heidegger’s articulation of the four causes known to philosophy in the Greco-Roman tradition—causa materialis (material), causa formalis (form), causa finalis (purpose), and causa efficiens (effect-producing)—to analyze elementary children’s technology design activities. The study suggests that children’s technology has certain dimensions of knowing-how, i.e., there is an instrumentality that goes beyond scientific knowledge. We suggest that the practice of technology and engineering education, which mainly focuses on children’s scientific knowledge, needs to be reexamined and reframed to develop holistic ways of teaching technology.

Transplantation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has been identified as a potential therapeutic modality for treating spinal cord injury (SCI). Degradation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) using the enzyme chondroitinase ABC (chABC) can promote functional recovery after SCI. The effect of the simultaneous administration of MSCs and chABC on chronic SCI was investigated. Sixteen dogs were assigned to one of the following four groups: (i) canine adipose tissue-derived MSCs (cADMSCs), (ii) chABC, (iii) cADMSCs + chABC and (iv) control. Treatments were carried out 3 weeks after SCI; cADMSCs (1 × 10(7) cells suspended in 150 μL of PBS), chABC (5 U/mL, 150 μL), cADMSCs + chABC (1 × 10(7) cells suspended in 150 μL of chABC), or phosphate-buffered saline (150 μL) were injected into the spinal cord at three locations to a depth of 3 mm using a 30-gauge needle. The spinal cord was harvested 8 weeks after transplantation. In a behavioral assessment, dogs treated with cADMSCs + chABC and cADMSCs alone showed significantly better functional recovery 8 weeks after transplantation compared with the control and chABC groups (P 0.05). In addition, the combination of cADMSCs and chABC increased the expression of digested CSPGs (2B6), β3 tubulin, and NF-M. However, the levels of COX2 (P 0.05), and tumor necrosis factor-α was higher in the treatment groups than in the control. In conclusion, transplantation of cADMSCs + chABC was more effective in improving clinical signs and neural regeneration, but a strategy for anti-inflammation after the treatment for chronic SCI would be needed for further improvement.

Background Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a progressive, enduring, and sometimes irreversible neurotoxic symptom that occurs in 30–40% of chemotherapy-treated cancer patients. CIPN negatively affects both the patient’s abilities to perform daily activities and their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after chemotherapy treatment. Although this neuropathy has been treated with duloxetine and/or gabapentin, limited therapeutic benefits have been reported, thereby necessitating the development of an integrated approach that combines pharmacological management and complementary methods such as acupuncture and electric nerve stimulation. Therefore, this study is designed to examine the effect of a portable, low-frequency electrostimulation (ES) device on CIPN symptoms and HRQOL of female patients diagnosed with CIPN immediately after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Methods This study is a single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with two parallel groups and a 2-week follow-up. We will enroll 80 breast cancer patients who are newly diagnosed with CIPN after chemotherapy. Duloxetine or pregabalin will be prescribed to all participants from the initial assessment. Half of the patients will be assigned into the experimental group and the other half to the control group. The CarebandR (Piomed Inc., Seoul, Korea), a wearable wristband that generates low-frequency electrostimulation, will be administered only to the experimental group. Electrostimulation will be administered on the unilateral PC6 acupoint. A numerical rating scale will be used to assess the overall intensity of CIPN symptoms. The key secondary outcome variables include patient-reported CIPN symptom distress tested by a self-rated questionnaire, physician-rated symptom severity assessed by the Total Neuropathy Score, and HRQOL. Discussion It is expected that the combination of a low-frequency electrostimulation device and pharmacological intervention (duloxetine or pregabalin) will produce synergistic effects in breast cancer patients with CIPN after treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the beneficial effect of a new integrated approach for CIPN management after breast cancer treatment. The study findings can expand our knowledge and understanding of the occurrence of CIPN and the efficacy of integrated intervention efforts to ameliorate CIPN symptoms. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS), Republic of Korea, ID: KCT0002357. Registered retrospectively on 13 June 2017. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-2874-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BACKGROUND Most training programs for self-management of chronic diseases in Korea currently involve face-to-face interactions primarily in a health care setting. Therefore, older Koreans living in the community continue to seek other training opportunities for the management of chronic diseases. This has led to the development of new training methods, such as mobile health (mHealth) care, which are valuable in community centers and homes. OBJECTIVE This feasibility study (1) developed an mHealth training protocol to empower community-dwelling elderly individuals to manage their chronic diseases; (2) examined the feasibility of delivering this mHealth training protocol to elderly individuals through mobile tablets and applications (apps); and (3) discussed the contextual and methodological challenges associated with the development of this protocol. METHODS The mHealth training protocol was developed based on the eHealth Enhanced Chronic Care Model and comprised of four phases. Phase 1 included standardized technology (mobile tablets) training using guidebooks, demonstrations, and guided practice. Phase 2 included provision of standardized information about disease management that was obtained from governmental and professional health care organizations. Phase 3 included provision of training on the use of high-quality mHealth apps that were selected based on individual diagnoses. Phase 4 included encouraging the patients to practice using self-selected mHealth apps based on their individual needs. Quantitative descriptive statistics and qualitative content analyses of user evaluations were used to assess the feasibility and user acceptance of this protocol. RESULTS Of the 27 older adults included in this study, 25 completed all 4 weeks of the mHealth training. The attrition rate was 7% (2/27), and the reasons included time conflicts, emotional distress, and/or family discouragement. The men required little or no training for Phase 1, and in comparison with men, women seemed to depend more on the mHealth trainers in Phase 3. Gender, level of education, and previous experience of using smartphones were associated with the speed of learning, level of confidence, and overall competence. CONCLUSIONS A tailored and personalized approach is required to develop mHealth training protocols for older adults. Self-management of chronic diseases via mHealth training requires careful consideration of the complex nature of human behavior, emotional responses, and familial influences. Therefore, integration of a theoretical, clinical, and technical approach is necessary for the successful development and implementation of an mHealth training program that targets older adults with chronic diseases in a community setting.

Science and technology has been regarded as priorities to enhance national sovereignty, the economy, and international relationships in Korea. Under current economic uncertainties and labor market demands, the emphasis of scientific and technological innovations and problem-solving is evident and crucial such as the recent initiatives of STEM literacy. There are also concerns about the roles of science and technology to examine current challenges and ethical dilemmas in society such as the energy issues, global warming and climate change, ethics in biotechnology, and so forth. These expand the understanding of scientific literacy from conceptual knowledge and practical skills to citizenry responsibilities of science in society. Students’ critical thinking, decision making and problem solving in everyday and social problems became key components of scientific literacy. With the focus of scientific literacy for both the future economy and citizenship, the Korean government strives to enhance science education in schools through developing an effective science curriculum, teaching resources and materials, assessment strategies, enhancing classroom environments, and reforming educational policies. In this chapter, we introduce how science as one of the core courses in the Korean education system has been developed, supported, and practiced in schools and classrooms. We discuss the overview of Korean education system in national and international contexts, students’ achievements in international assessments such as TIMSS, the development of the elementary science curriculum, teacher education programs, assessment practices, and some pedagogical issues and future challenges in elementary science education in Korea.

Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) 2013 Checklist: recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents. (DOC 121 kb)

The gap between knowledge and action has become a critical concern in the discussion of participatory scientific literacy for citizenship where one’s decision making and action are central to alleviate socioscientific and environmental challenges in the current society. With the emphasis of action, Hoeg, Lemelin, and Bencze suggest an activist approach to bring out the responsibility of knowledge through one’s action. This article will further discuss the integrity of knowing and action based on Varela’s immediate coping and Levinas’ notion of hostage toward others.

PURPOSE Previously, aliphatic β-nitroalcohols (BNAs) have been studied as a means to chemically induce tissue cross-linking (TXL) of cornea and sclera. There are a number of related and possibly more potent agents, known as formaldehyde releasers (FARs), that are in commercial use as preservatives in cosmetics and other personal care products. The present study was undertaken in order to screen such compounds for potential clinical utility as therapeutic TXL agents. METHODS A chemical registry of 62 FARs was created from a literature review and included characteristics relevant to TXL such as molecular weight, carcinogenicity/mutagenicity, toxicity, hydrophobicity, and commercial availability. From this registry, five compounds [diazolidinyl urea (DAU), imidazolidinyl urea (IMU), sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (SMG), DMDM hydantoin (DMDM), 5-Ethyl-3,7-dioxa-1-azabicyclo [3.3.0] octane (OCT)] were selected for efficacy screening using two independent systems, an ex vivo rabbit corneal cross-linking simulation setup and incubation of cut scleral tissue pieces. Treatments were conducted at pH 7.4 or 8.5 for 30 minutes. Efficacy was evaluated using thermal denaturation temperature (Tm), and cell toxicity was studied using the trypan blue exclusion method. RESULTS Cross-linking effects in the five selected FARs were pH and concentration dependent. Overall, the Tm shifts were in agreement with both cornea and sclera. By comparison with BNAs previously reported upon, the FARs identified in this study were significantly more potent but with similar or better cytotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS The FARs, a class of compounds well known to the cosmetic industry, may have utility as therapeutic TXL agents. The compounds studied thus far show promise and will be further tested.

Although the winner-takes-all approach is often theorized in the use of an information communication technology, more than one popular social networking site exists in the market. Integrating uses and gratification (U&G) theory with network externalities, this study examines why social networking sites can coexist in the market and whether predictors of using social networking sites differ across popular social networking sites. Three separate surveys were conducted for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The results show that motivations for using each SNS differ; these motives exert a greater influence on SNS use than network externalities for all three SNSs.