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This study aims to introduce the GLMM tree and show its usefulness in educational research. The GLMM tree model is an extension of MOB to be applied to multilevel data, which detects subgroups with differential effects to estimate the fixed-effect in each subgroup and the random effect by the cluster to which each observation belongs. In this study, we identified the differential effects by detecting subgroups of afterschool programs and private tutoring participation in mathematics achievement of second grade high school students. Using the GLMM trees, students were divided into 16 and 15 subgroups respectively according to the participation of afterschool programs and the private tutoring. Also, cognitive and affective variables such as pre-mathematics achievement, interest in mathematics were selected as nodes. For both treatments, it was confirmed that the fixed-effect was estimated differently for each subgroup. Based on the results, we compared the differential effects of participation in afterschool programs and private tutoring and factors selected as nodes of models, and discussed the potential of the GLMM tree model in educational research.

Global energy policies urge us to reduce the power consumption of electronic devices, but it is inconsistent with the user’s needs of enhancing device performances, which discourages the global energy consumption requirement. In this work, the converse flexoelectricity is tailored to dramatically reduce power consumption while superior display image qualities are maintained in fringe-field switching (FFS) liquid crystal displays (LCDs). We report the first 1Hz-refresh-rate flicker-free FFS LCD in a 13.4-inch laptop display. It is inevitable having noticeable brightness deviation when the polarity of driving voltage alters at such low frequency driving, caused by flexoelectric effect and failure of voltage holding. Here, we thoroughly investigated nature of the converse flexoelectric contribution of mesogenic systems with optimum flexoelectric coefficients and molecular polarity, and we developed materials in accordance with the findings. The oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors in the backplane and LC alignment layers with optimum resistivity are adopted to promote voltage-holding characteristic and fully fill the duty cycle. The result shows that the quality of static images and videos at 1Hz- and 10Hz-refresh-rate respectively is as well maintained as that at 60Hz, and the measured power consumption is reduced by 83%, compared to that in a 60Hz-refresh-rate. It is believed that this work will open a new paradigm towards energy consumption in electronic devices, which satisfies the superior display performances in LCDs.

BACKGROUND Regular self-administered exercise after stroke can improve upper limb function. For proper self-administered exercise, an appropriate guide is required to match the exercise level to the patient’s upper limb disability. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a mobile health application to support self-administered graded upper limb exercises for patients with hemiplegia using deep learning model. METHODS To develop a patient-centered, solution-based mobile application for upper extremity exercises for hemiplegia, we used a 5-step design thinking process. The exercise programs in the application were safe and easy to follow in the sitting position. A deep learning model was proposed to automatically evaluate the patients’ upper limb function for recommendation of exercise according to each patient’s disability. The model captured videos of patients reaching and grasping objects on a table as input and predicted the exercise level. Potential end-users, including patients, therapists, and physicians, evaluated the prototype and provided feedback for the usability and quality of the application using a mobile application rating scale. RESULTS A total of six features, my information, evaluation section, daily exercise, list of exercises, my current exercise status, and notification, were incorporated into the mobile application. The application consisted of 58 exercises categorized as postural and balance, range of motion, strengthening, and task-oriented training exercises with three levels of difficulty. A deep-learning-based model was proposed for automated upper limb function evaluation. The overall accuracy of classification of exercised level was 84.58% and inference time was 9~10 seconds. CONCLUSIONS We successfully developed a mobile application to support self-administered graded upper limb exercises for patients with hemiplegia based on individual ability, including automatic evaluation using a deep learning model.

Fear of falling is common among older adults with spinal diseases. The purpose of the current study was to examine fear of falling and related factors in this population. A total of 138 participants were recruited and completed survey questionnaires along with the Timed Up & Go Test. Participants were 73.7 years old on average, 52% had fall experience, and 56% were taking more than four medications. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that the use of sleeping pills, residence type, pain, activities of daily living, gait ability, and gait efficacy were significant predictors of fear of falling. Findings suggest that a fall prevention intervention for older adults with spinal diseases should include pain management, functional improvement, and gait rehabilitation with a focus on gait performance and gait efficacy. In addition, it is important to improve living environment and sleep hygiene, which are conducive to falls. [ Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 47 (8), 29–35.]

The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' perceptions of the smart mattress equipped with Internet of things, which are incorporated into patients' beds. In addition, their concerns and suggestions about smart mattress were explored. A total of 349 nurses in a tertiary hospital participated in a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected using questionnaires. Descriptive statistical analysis was used for survey data, whereas content analysis was used for qualitative data from open-ended questions. The participants' intention to accept the smart mattresses was 12.5 (SD, 1.73) on average, indicating a high level of acceptance. The participants expected the smart mattresses to decrease their physical work burden, improve work efficiency, and prevent pressure ulcers. However, they were concerned about an increase in other aspects of their workload and in patient safety problems due to false alarms, inaccuracies, and malfunctions of the device. Nurses suggested various features that can be integrated into smart mattress. It is critical to address nurses' perceptions, expectations, and concerns during the conceptual and developmental stage of new technology in order to improve the usability, acceptance, and adoption of smart mattresses and other new innovations in hospital settings.

Background: Thoracic acute aortic syndrome (AAS) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) have similar clinical presentations, making them difficult to differentiate. This study aimed to identify useful biomarkers for the differential diagnosis of thoracic AAS and NSTEMI. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. Participants: consecutive adult patients who visited the emergency department for acute chest pain between January 2015 and December 2021 diagnosed with thoracic AAS or NSTEMI. Clinical variables, including D-dimer (μg/mL) and high-sensitivity troponin T (ng/mL, hs-TnT) levels, were compared between the groups. Results: A total of 52 (30.1%) and 121 (69.9%) patients were enrolled in the thoracic AAS and NSTEMI groups, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the D-dimer to hs-TnT (D/T) ratio (odds ratio (OR), 1.038; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.020–1.056; p < 0.001) and the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) score (OR, 0.184; 95% CI, 0.054–0.621; p = 0.006) were associated with thoracic AAS. The D/T ratio had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.973 (95% CI, 0.930–0.998), and the optimal cutoff value was 81.3 with 91.4% sensitivity and 96.2% specificity. The TIMI score had an AUC of 0.769 (95% CI, 0.644–0.812), and the optimal cutoff value was 1.5 with 96.7% sensitivity and 38.5% specificity. Conclusion: the D/T ratio may be a simple and useful parameter for differentiating thoracic AAS from NSTEMI.

Lee, D.; Park, H.; Shin, S., and Cox, D.T., 2021. Experimental and numerical study on the wave, surge, and structure interactions on a coastal residential building. In: Lee, J.L.; Suh, K.-S.; Lee, B.; Shin, S., and Lee, J. (eds.), Crisis and Integrated Management for Coastal and Marine Safety. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 114, pp. 156–160. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Residential structures in the low-lying coastal region are often suffered from devastate coastal disasters, like storms and tsunamis. To minimize the loss and improve the resilience of a coastal community, it is crucial to understand structural damage and failure mechanism under extreme from extreme coastal events. Large-scale laboratory experiments of wood-framed residential houses were conducted to investigate the wave and surge effect on the structure and the structural failure mechanism. The tests were conducted by changing a surge level, wave period, and wave height condition, and measure hydro-kinematics and structural damage process. LIDAR scanning was conducted to collect the data of damage proportion on the structure during series of wave and surge conditions. A three-dimensional RANS model, olaFlow, was used to verify our numerical model, and applied to understand hydrodynamics near the structure. Three different wave breaking conditions, including non-breaking, breaking, and broken wave are tested and consequent wave induced forces on structure are compared for both undamaged structure and damaged structure conditions. The numerical model results showed a good agreement with the experimental results in water surface and velocity. The numerical results of wave induced force in damaged conditions showed 28∼43% smaller than those in undamaged conditions. This finding highlight that the damage level of a structure could affect predicting wave load on the structure.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a debilitating disease that is characterized by the accumulation of numerous fluid-filled cysts in the kidney. ADPKD is primarily caused by mutations in two genes, PKD1 and PKD2. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), defined by a length >200 nucleotides and absence of a long ORF, have recently emerged as epigenetic regulators of development and disease; however, their involvement in PKD has not been explored previously. Here, we performed deep RNA-Seq to identify lncRNAs that are dysregulated in two orthologous mouse models of ADPKD (kidney-specific Pkd1 and Pkd2 mutant mice). We identified a kidney-specific, evolutionarily conserved lncRNA called Hoxb3os that was down-regulated in cystic kidneys from Pkd1 and Pkd2 mutant mice. The human ortholog HOXB3-AS1 was down-regulated in cystic kidneys from ADPKD patients. Hoxb3os was highly expressed in renal tubules in adult WT mice, whereas its expression was lost in the cyst epithelium of mutant mice. To investigate the function of Hoxb3os, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out its expression in mIMCD3 cells. Deletion of Hoxb3os resulted in increased phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream targets, including p70 S6 kinase, ribosomal protein S6, and the translation repressor 4E-BP1. Consistent with activation of mTORC1 signaling, Hoxb3os mutant cells displayed increased mitochondrial respiration. The Hoxb3os mutant phenotype was partially rescued upon re-expression of Hoxb3os in knockout cells. These findings identify Hoxb3os as a novel lncRNA that is down-regulated in ADPKD and regulates mTOR signaling and mitochondrial respiration.

Introduction: We recently uncovered a signaling mechanism by which the endocannabinoid anandamide mediates the action of oxytocin, a neuropeptide that is crucial for social behavior, to control social reward. Oxytocin signaling has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and social reward is a key aspect of social functioning that is thought to be disrupted in ASD. Therefore, as a proof of principle for the core component of ASD—social impairment—we tested an endocannabinoid-enhancing compound on two widely studied mouse models of ASD, the BTBR and fmr1−/− (model of Fragile X Syndrome). Methods: We used the established three-chambered social approach test. We specifically increased the activity of anandamide by administering the compound URB597, a selective inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the hydrolytic enzyme for anandamide. Results: Remarkably, we found that FAAH blockade completely reversed the social impairment in both mouse models. CB1 receptor blockade prevented the prosocial action of FAAH inhibition in BTBR mice. These results were likely independent of effects on anxiety, as FAAH inhibition did not alter the performance of BTBR mice in the elevated plus maze. Conclusions: The results suggest that increasing anandamide activity at CB1 receptors improves ASD-related social impairment and identify FAAH as a novel therapeutic target for ASD.

Low lying coastal communities are most vulnerable to the flooding which causes from sea-level rise (SLR), and extreme coastal flooding events such as hurricanes and tsunami. Notably, the high elevation of sea-levels due to SLR and local tidal conditions could accelerate the damages on the coastal communities. Hard coastal structures such as a submerged breakwater and seawall would consider minimizing the impacts of overland flows to the urban area from the extreme coastal events, but the effectiveness of those hard structures are significantly alter depending on the various waves and sea-level conditions.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/GCOOpB4C3tA

The endocannabinoid system is an important modulator of brain reward signaling. Investigations have focused on cannabinoid (CB1) receptors, because dissection of specific contributions of individual endocannabinoids has been limited by the available toolset. While we recently described an important role for the endocannabinoid anandamide in the regulation of social reward, it remains to be determined whether the other major endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG), serves a similar or different function.To study the role of 2-AG in natural reward, we used a transgenic mouse model (MGL-Tg mice) in which forebrain 2-AG levels are selectively reduced. We complemented behavioral analysis with measurements of brain 2-AG levels.We tested male MGL-Tg mice in conditioned place preference (CPP) tasks for high-fat food, social contact, and cocaine. We measured 2-AG content in the brain regions of interest by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.Male MGL-Tg mice are impaired in developing CPP for high-fat food and social interaction, but do develop CPP for cocaine. Furthermore, compared to isolated mice, levels of 2-AG in socially stimulated wild-type mice are higher in the nucleus accumbens and ventral hippocampus (183 and 140 % of controls, respectively), but unchanged in the medial prefrontal cortex.The results suggest that reducing 2-AG-mediated endocannabinoid signaling impairs social and high-fat food reward in male mice, and that social stimulation mobilizes 2-AG in key brain regions implicated in the control of motivated behavior. The time course of this response differentiates 2-AG from anandamide, whose role in mediating social reward was previously documented.

Marijuana exerts profound effects on human social behavior, but the neural substrates underlying such effects are unknown. Here we report that social contact increases, whereas isolation decreases, the mobilization of the endogenous marijuana-like neurotransmitter, anandamide, in the mouse nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain structure that regulates motivated behavior. Pharmacological and genetic experiments show that anandamide mobilization and consequent activation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors are necessary and sufficient to express the rewarding properties of social interactions, assessed using a socially conditioned place preference test. We further show that oxytocin, a neuropeptide that reinforces parental and social bonding, drives anandamide mobilization in the NAc. Pharmacological blockade of oxytocin receptors stops this response, whereas chemogenetic, site-selective activation of oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus stimulates it. Genetic or pharmacological interruption of anandamide degradation offsets the effects of oxytocin receptor blockade on both social place preference and cFos expression in the NAc. The results indicate that anandamide-mediated signaling at CB1 receptors, driven by oxytocin, controls social reward. Deficits in this signaling mechanism may contribute to social impairment in autism spectrum disorders and might offer an avenue to treat these conditions.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a debilitating disease that is characterized by the accumulation of numerous fluid-filled cysts in the kidney. ADPKD is primarily caused by mutations in two genes, PKD1 and PKD2. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), defined by a length >200 nucleotides and absence of a long ORF, have recently emerged as epigenetic regulators of development and disease; however, their involvement in PKD has not been explored previously. Here, we performed deep RNA-Seq to identify lncRNAs that are dysregulated in two orthologous mouse models of ADPKD (kidney-specific Pkd1 and Pkd2 mutant mice). We identified a kidney-specific, evolutionarily conserved lncRNA called Hoxb3os that was down-regulated in cystic kidneys from Pkd1 and Pkd2 mutant mice. The human ortholog HOXB3-AS1 was down-regulated in cystic kidneys from ADPKD patients. Hoxb3os was highly expressed in renal tubules in adult WT mice, whereas its expression was lost in the cyst epithelium of mutant mice. To investigate the function of Hoxb3os, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out its expression in mIMCD3 cells. Deletion of Hoxb3os resulted in increased phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream targets, including p70 S6 kinase, ribosomal protein S6, and the translation repressor 4E-BP1. Consistent with activation of mTORC1 signaling, Hoxb3os mutant cells displayed increased mitochondrial respiration. The Hoxb3os mutant phenotype was partially rescued upon re-expression of Hoxb3os in knockout cells. These findings identify Hoxb3os as a novel lncRNA that is down-regulated in ADPKD and regulates mTOR signaling and mitochondrial respiration.

Objectives : Continuous monitoring of chemical residues in agricultural and food products has been performed by various government bodies in South Korea. These bodies have made attempts to systematically manage this information by creating a monitoring database system as well as a system based on these data with which to assess the health risk of chemical residues in agricultural products. Methods : Meanwhile, a database system is being constructed consisting of information about monitoring and, following this, a demand for convenience has led to the need for an evaluation tool to be constructed with the data processing system. Results : Also, in order to create a systematic and effective tool for the risk assessment of chemical residues in foods and agricultural products, various evaluation models are being developed, both domestically and abroad. Overseas, systems such as Dietary Exposure Evaluation Model: Food Commodity Intake Database and Cumulative and Aggregate Risk Evaluation System are being used; these use the US Environmental Protection Agency as a focus, while the EU has developed Pesticide Residue Intake Model for assessments of pesticide exposure through food intake. Following this, the National Academy of Agricultural Science (NAAS) created the Agricultural Products Risk Assessment System (APRAS) which supports the use and storage of monitoring information and risk assessments. APRAS efficiently manages the monitoring data produced by NAAS and creates an extraction feature included in the database system. Also, the database system in APRAS consists of a monitoring database system held by the NAAS and food consumption database system. Food consumption data is based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Conclusions : This system is aimed at exposure and risk assessments for chemical residues in agricultural products with regards to different exposure scenarios.