Search

AbstractChildhood self-control difficulties have been associated with a higher risk of obesity. However, recent studies suggest that maintaining high self-control under chronic adversity may also pose health risks. Yet, few studies have considered how self-control changes over time. Using a nationally representative sample, we identified four self-control trajectories across elementary school: high-stable, moderate-increasing, moderate-decreasing, and low-stable. We examined associations between trajectories and body mass index (BMI) in fifth grade, considering poverty and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Our findings suggest a health-promoting role of self-control regardless of poverty status. Children with high-stable trajectory had BMI scores over 10% of a standard deviation lower – approximately 0.63 and 0.54 points lower BMI – than either those in the moderate-increasing or moderate-decreasing trajectory groups. However, BMI differences across trajectories were generally not significant for minority children. This study enhances understanding of the complex relations between self-control, poverty, and BMI in school-aged children with different racial/ethnic backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia plays a very important role as a fuel or as a potential source of hydrogen, and its separation and recovery are important in various processes. In this study, an adsorbent that can be applied to PSA processes over a wide temperature range was developed. To select the support, alumina silica, two types of zeolites, and carbon molecular sieves were considered and characterized through BET, TGA, NH3-TPD, and high-pressure ammonia isotherm adsorption analyses. An adsorbent, Z-13X, whose adsorption and regeneration characteristics and structure of the support were kept constant was selected, and MgCl2 was introduced into the support. The effect of introducing MgCl2 was compared and analyzed according to the metal loading, and the impregnation of a certain amount of MgCl2 maintained the structural characteristics of Z-13X and improved the adsorption performance. Additionally, it was confirmed that the adsorption performance increased near the initial low pressure and was excellent in terms of regeneration characteristics, heat of adsorption, and NH3 selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korea has used three different teacher evaluation systems since the 1960s: teacher performance rating, teacher performance-based pay and teacher evaluation for professional development. A number of studies have focused on an analysis of each evaluation system in terms of its advent, development, advantages and disadvantages, but these studies have been critically limited in that they have focused only on the partial integration of the three current teacher evaluation systems, without addressing the problems embedded in each of them. The present study provides a systematic analysis of the three current Korean teacher evaluation systems based on a sound analytical framework and proposes appropriate directions for designing an effective and efficient system. It is found that the three systems share commonalities in terms of stakeholders, evaluators, scope, criteria and methods, further supporting the rationale for developing a single comprehensive teacher evaluation system in Korea. Finally, several steps to establish a comprehensive teacher evaluation system based on the analysis results are suggested.

In this study, we examine the predictive factors influencing the outcomes of voice treatment in patients with voice-related disorders, using the voice handicap index (VHI) as a key assessment tool. By analyzing various personal habits and clinical variables, we identify the primary factors associated with changes when comparing VHI scores before and after voice treatment. For this research, we employed binomial logistic regression, random forest (RF), and a multilayer perceptron (MLP) model to evaluate the effectiveness of voice treatment. The findings reveal that gender (with female patients showing greater improvements in VHI scores compared to male patients), surgical history, voice use status, and voice training status are significant predictors of therapy outcomes. The MLP model demonstrated high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.87 indicating its potential as a valuable clinical predictive tool; however, the model's relatively low specificity suggests the need for further refinement to enhance its predictive accuracy. The results of this study provide valuable insights for clinicians and speech–language pathologists in developing personalized treatment strategies to optimize the effectiveness of voice therapy. Future research should prioritize the validation of these findings in larger and more diverse population samples. Furthermore, it is essential to explore additional predictive variables in order to enhance the model's accuracy across different types of voice disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terms "onychofibroblast" (nail‐specific fibroblast) and onychodermis (nail‐specific dermis) were first introduced in 2006 and 2012, respectively, based on distinctive histologic and immunohistochemical features from the dermis of the surrounding skin and have been demonstrated in multiple studies. Recently, based on molecular research, the definition of onychodermis containing onychofibroblasts has been expanded to encompass the area located between the nail matrix and bed epithelium and periosteum. Single‐cell RNA sequencing and in situ hybridization demonstrated that onychofibroblasts within the onychodermis express the genes including RSPO4, MSX1, WIF‐1, and BMP5, which are implicated in nail formation and/or in disorders with nail phenotype. A mutation in RSPO4, a component of the Wnt signaling pathway, causes anonychia congenita. Nail matrix onychodermis and nail bed onychodermis share many similar characteristics which differ from the surrounding normal dermis of the skin. Comparative spatial transcriptomic and single‐cell analyses of human nail units and hair follicles suggest that onychodermis is the counterpart of follicular dermal papilla, which plays a key role in hair follicle growth and morphogenesis. Onychomatricoma, as a nail‐specific tumor, has been demonstrated to be a mesenchymal tumor that originates from onychofibroblasts and is associated with the upregulation of Wnt signaling. Collectively, the onychodermis and onychofibroblasts play crucial roles in nail development and these specialized nail mesenchymal elements are key components in the pathogenesis of onychomatricoma. The concept of onychodermis containing onychofibroblasts is very important for nail biology and pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, photocatalysis technology has been widely considered as an effective method for solving environmental pollution issues and addressing the energy crisis. Hybrids of layered double hydroxide (LDH) exhibit excellent photocatalytic properties for use in the field of wastewater treatment due to the large interlayer spaces, chemical stability, and low cost. However, pristine LDH suffers from numerous limitations, such as insufficient visible light utilization and a high recombination rate of electron–hole pairs, resulting in degradation of photocatalytic performance. Recent advancements have demonstrated that LDH-based hybrids are suitable nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications when combining LDH with other semiconductors. This article summarizes the progress in the field of LDH-based ternary composites with emphasis on the removal of organic pollutants and heavy metal ions from aqueous media. Moreover, the applications and synthesis of LDH-based ternary composites, including corresponding examples, are discussed. In addition, the interaction mechanisms between photocatalysts and contaminants in water are comprehensively explained. Finally, the review provides insights into the challenges and prospects for the advancement of LDH-based photocatalysts.

The national college admission system has quite frequently been altered in South Korea since Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule in 1945. Nonetheless, there are still many ways in which the national college entrance system can be improved. This article initially analysed and synthesized the issues associated with the Korean college admission system that successive regimes had to tackle, the relevant policy alternatives, and the ensuing consequences of the policy alternatives instituted by different regimes. Based on the analysis, the persistent key issues embedded in major screening factors in the college admission system were determined. Through this analytical lens, this study intends to delineate some possible future directions for the improvement of the college admission system. In conclusion, the government would be well advised to make a continuous effort to complement and stabilize the existing system, regardless of changes in the regime. In addition, the historical analyses of the Korean college admission system will contribute to providing education policy makers in other countries with insights and vicarious experience for the reform of their college entrance systems.