Psychometric Modeling to Identify Examinees' Strategy Differences during Testing.

Aptitude test scores are typically interpreted similarly for examinees with the same overall score. However, research has found evidence of examinee differences in strategies, as well as in the continued application of appropriate procedures during testing. Such differences can impact the correlates of test scores, making similar interpretations for equivalent scores questionable. This study presents some item response theory (IRT) models that are relevant to identifying examinee differences in strategies and understanding of test-taking procedures. First, mixture IRT models that identify latent classes of examinees with different patterns of item responses are considered; these models have long been available but unfortunately are not routinely applied. Strategy differences between the classes can then be studied separately by modeling the response patterns with cognitive complexity variables within each class. Secondly, novel psychometric approaches that leverage response time information (in particular, response time residuals) in order to identify both inter and intraindividual variability in response processes are considered. In doing so, a general method for evaluating threats to validity is proposed. The utility of the approach, in terms of providing more interpretable performance estimates and improving the administration of psychological measurement instruments, is then demonstrated with an empirical example.

Relationship Between Acculturation and Mental Health in Korean American Family Caregivers of Community-Dwelling Persons Living with Dementia.

Despite the growing number of Korean American (KA) family caregivers for persons with dementia, little is known about how acculturation might affect caregiving stress in this population. Acculturation is a variable of considerable interest in caregiving research due to its significance in understanding the impact of cultural perceptions and expectations on the caregiving role and its relation to mental health outcomes. A cross-sectional descriptive study using baseline data from an ongoing randomized controlled trial of dementia caregiver intervention was performed to examine the association between acculturation and mental health outcomes among KA caregivers (n = 32) for persons with dementia. Self-report survey questionnaires including a bidirectional acculturation scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Zarit Burden Interview were administered in person in English or Korean by trained bilingual community health workers. The primary independent variable, acculturation, was assessed using a 24-item inventory. It measured two sets of cultural orientation: Korean orientation and American orientation. The mean age was 67 years (SD = 11.8) and 87% were women. Half of the caregivers were spouses of persons with dementia, while the other half were offspring caregivers. In the multiple linear regression model, caregiver acculturation toward Korean cultural orientation had a significant and positive association with depressive symptoms (ß = .62; SE = 0.25; p-value = .02) and perceived stress (ß = .29; SE = 0.13; p-value = .03) after adjusting for age and self-efficacy. No significant effect of American cultural orientation was found for caregiver burden, perceived stress, or depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that exploring the role of acculturation in caregiving and its relation to outcomes, particularly caregiver distress, may be valuable for future studies aiming to understand specific elements of cultural values and practices in the acculturation process related to mental health outcomes among immigrant Korean American caregivers.

Flake formation and composition in soda-lime-silica and borosilicate glasses.

Glass is a food contact material that has been used for a long time in food packaging because it is chemically durable and stable. However, when used for a long time in an aqueous solution or under certain conditions in which alteration may occur, solid flakes may be formed. The phenomenon could be observed when the process of boiling water in a glass kettle is repeated. Transparent and shiny needle-shaped glass fragments appear floating in the water, which may cause complaints from consumers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the conditions leading to the formation of flakes and to identify the components of the suspended flakes in glass container. In this study we investigated the formation of flakes at different temperatures (70-100 °C), initial pH values (3-11) and varying the solution composition (with Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ concentrations from 0.2 to 40 mg/L). Two types of glass materials, soda-lime-silica glass and borosilicate glass (heat-resistance glass) were examined. Results show that flakes were observed under the following conditions: 24 h at more than 90 °C, pH 8, and 20 mg/L Ca2+ for soda-lime-silica glass and more than 100 °C, pH 11 for borosilicate glass. The component of flakes was identified as a mixture of hydrates of magnesium, calcium, and aluminum silicate analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction.

A High Grade Astrocytoma with Pilocytic Morphology in a 5-Month-Old American Bulldog.

A 23-week-old female intact American Bulldog was presented for a two-week history of progressive circling to the right, twitching, and altered mentation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a non-contrast enhancing hemorrhagic mass centered in the right thalamus with concurrent subdural and intraventricular hemorrhage. Post-mortem histologic examination of the brain confirmed a mass centered on the thalamus with histomorphologic features consistent with a high-grade astrocytoma with pilocytic morphology. To the authors' knowledge, the present case is the first to report clinical and imaging characteristics of a high-grade astrocytoma with pilocytic morphology in a young dog.

Secondary extracranial paranasal sinus meningioma in a dog.

A 13-year-old Maltese dog was presented for inspiratory stertor. A computed tomography evaluation was performed and revealed an osteoproductive lesion primarily centered over the frontal bone with infiltration of the adjacent maxillary and nasal bones, focal intracranial invasion, and an associated broad-based, contrastenhancing, extra-axial lesion along the longitudinal cerebral fissure. Rhinoscopic and incisional biopsies of the paranasal mass were obtained, and a meningioma was diagnosed histologically. Based on the imaging features and histopathology results, an extracranial paranasal sinus meningioma was diagnosed in this dog. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report describing the computed tomographic findings associated with a secondary extracranial paranasal sinus meningioma in a dog. Key clinical message: Meningiomas in dogs can be present outside of the brain case and should be considered a differential for tumors of the paranasal sinuses.

Méningiome extra-crânien secondaire du sinus paranasal chez un chien. Un chien maltais de 13 ans a été présenté pour un stertor inspiratoire. Une évaluation par tomodensitométrie a été réalisée et a révélé une lésion ostéoproductive principalement centrée sur l'os frontal avec une infiltration des os maxillaires et nasaux adjacents, une invasion intracrânienne focale et une lésion extra-axiale à large base associée, augmentant le contraste, le long de la fissure cérébrale longitudinale. Des biopsies rhinoscopiques et incisionnelles de la masse paranasale ont été obtenues et un méningiome a été diagnostiqué histologiquement. Sur la base des caractéristiques d'imagerie et des résultats de l'histopathologie, un méningiome extra-crânien du sinus paranasal a été diagnostiqué chez ce chien. À la connaissance des auteurs, il s'agit du premier rapport de cas décrivant les résultats tomodensitométriques associés à un méningiome extra-crânien secondaire du sinus paranasal chez un chien.Message clinique clé :Les méningiomes chez le chien peuvent être présents en dehors du cerveau et doivent être considérés comme un différentiel pour les tumeurs des sinus paranasaux.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Comparison of artificial intelligence to the veterinary radiologist's diagnosis of canine cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

Application of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve clinical diagnosis is a burgeoning field in human and veterinary medicine. The objective of this prospective, diagnostic accuracy study was to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of an AI-based software for diagnosing canine cardiogenic pulmonary edema from thoracic radiographs, using an American College of Veterinary Radiology-certified veterinary radiologist's interpretation as the reference standard. Five hundred consecutive canine thoracic radiographs made after-hours by a veterinary Emergency Department were retrieved. A total of 481 of 500 cases were technically analyzable. Based on the radiologist's assessment, 46 (10.4%) of these 481 dogs were diagnosed with cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE+). Of these cases, the AI software designated 42 of 46 as CPE+ and four of 46 as cardiogenic pulmonary edema negative (CPE-). Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the AI-based software compared to radiologist diagnosis were 92.3%, 91.3%, and 92.4%, respectively (positive predictive value, 56%; negative predictive value, 99%). Findings supported using AI software screening for thoracic radiographs of dogs with suspected cardiogenic pulmonary edema to assist with short-term decision-making when a radiologist is unavailable.

An Analysis of Male and Female Managers' Responses to Work Stress: Focused on the Case of South Korea.

This study aims to determine how work the stress of female and male managers in Korean companies influences their capabilities and career development behavior and analyzes how it affects their turnover intention. According to the analysis results determined using the panel data from the Korean Women's Development Institute, first, work stress experienced by managers increases their turnover intentions regardless of gender. Secondly, more work stress decreases the development behavior of male mangers but strengthens the career development behavior of female managers. Thirdly, greater work stress decreases manager capabilities but strengthens the capabilities of female managers. Fourthly, career development behavior and capabilities as a mediator variable act differently according to gender on the relationship between work stress and turnover intention. We discussed the results of this study while considering the peculiarities of Korea, which has strong male-centered corporate culture, and presented theoretical and practical implications of the results of this study.

Metabolic Evidence Rather Than Amounts of Red or Processed Meat as a Risk on Korean Colorectal Cancer.

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has increased in Korea, a newly-industrialized Asian country, with the dramatic increase of meat intake. To assess the risks of red or processed meat consumption on CRC, we performed a case-control study with biological monitoring of urinary1-OHP, PhIP, and MeIQx for the meat exposure; dG-C8 MeIQx and dG-C8 PhIP for HCA-induced DNA adducts; and homocysteine and C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 31fatty acids in urine for inflammation and lipid alteration. We further analyzed global DNA methylation and expression of 15 CRC-related genes. As a result, the consumption of red or processed meat was not higher in the cases than in the controls. However, urinary MeIQx and PhIP were associated with the intake of red meat and urinary 1-OHP. MDA and multiple fatty acids were related to the exposure biomarkers. Most of the 31 fatty acids and multiple saturated fatty acids were higher in the cases than in the controls. Finally, the cases showed upregulation of PTGS2, which is related to pro-inflammatory fatty acids. This study describes indirect mechanisms of CRC via lipid alteration with a series of processes including exposure to red meat, alteration of fatty acids, and relevant gene expression.

Influence of Self-Esteem of Middle School Students for Mental Care on Academic Achievement: Based on the Mediation Effect of GRIT and Academic Enthusiasm.

The purpose of this study is to identify how self-esteem of middle school students for mental care influences their academic achievement and to verify the mediation effect of GRIT on academic enthusiasm. Data of 2590 first graders in middle school from the Kora Children and Youth Panel Survey 2019 was used to support this study. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS21.0, AMOS22.0, and PROCESS macro program. The results are as follows. Comparison of the model fits of each full mediation model and partial mediation model with χ2 showed that the full mediation model was more suitable for this study. In more detail, the influence of self-esteem on GRIT and the influence of GRIT on academic enthusiasm were significantly positive. Lastly, the study identified that there was a mediation effect between self-esteem and academic achievement through GRIT and academic enthusiasm. It indicates that self-esteem is the key to improve academic achievement and that specific programs should be supplemented in order to enhance self-esteem, GRIT, and academic enthusiasm.

Cross-cultural consistency and relativity in the enjoyment of thinking versus doing.

Which is more enjoyable: trying to think enjoyable thoughts or doing everyday solitary activities? Wilson et al. (2014) found that American participants much preferred solitary everyday activities, such as reading or watching TV, to thinking for pleasure. To see whether this preference generalized outside of the United States, we replicated the study with 2,557 participants from 12 sites in 11 countries. The results were consistent in every country: Participants randomly assigned to do something reported significantly greater enjoyment than did participants randomly assigned to think for pleasure. Although we found systematic differences by country in how much participants enjoyed thinking for pleasure, we used a series of nested structural equation models to show that these differences were fully accounted for by country-level variation in 5 individual differences, 4 of which were positively correlated with thinking for pleasure (need for cognition, openness to experience, meditation experience, and initial positive affect) and 1 of which was negatively correlated (reported phone usage). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and preliminary validation of a Korean version of the Personal Relative Deprivation Scale.

The current research developed and validated a Korean-translated version of the Personal Relative Deprivation Scale (PRDS). The PRDS measures individual differences in people's tendencies to feel resentful about what they have compared to what other people like them have. Across 2 studies, Exploratory Factor Analyses revealed that the two reverse-worded items from the original PRDS did not load onto the primary factor for the Korean-translated PRDS. A reduced 3-item Korean PRDS, however, showed good convergent validity. Replicating previous findings using Western samples, greater tendencies to make social comparisons of abilities (but not opinions) were associated with higher PRDS (Studies 1 and 2), and participants scoring higher on the 3-item Korean PRDS were more materialistic (Studies 1 and 2), reported worse physical health (Study 1), had lower self-esteem (Study 2) and experienced higher stress (Study 2).

Two Cases of Plug or Stone in Remnant Intrapancreatic Choledochal Cysts Treated with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography.

Incomplete resection of choledochal cysts (CCs) that extend deep into the pancreas can lead to protein plug or stone formation, pancreatitis, and cholangiocarcinoma. We encountered two cases of choledocholithiasis in remnant intrapancreatic CCs, in which the patients exhibited symptoms after 3 and 21 years of cyst excision. A 21-year-old woman who had undergone excision of a CC, as a neonate, presented with epigastric pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed stones inside the remnant pancreatic cyst, which were removed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and her symptoms improved. A 33-year-old woman, who underwent cyst excision 3 years ago, presented with pancreatitis. Abdominal CT showed a radiolucent plug inside the remnant pancreatic cyst. The soft, whitish plug was removed by ERCP, and the pancreatitis improved. These cases indicate that plugs and stones in CCs have the same pathogenetic mechanism, and their form depends on the time since the incomplete excision surgery.

Short communication: Conversion of lactose and whey into lactic acid by engineered yeast.

Lactose is often considered an unwanted and wasted byproduct, particularly lactose trapped in acid whey from yogurt production. But using specialized microbial fermentation, the surplus wasted acid whey could be converted into value-added chemicals. The baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is commonly used for industrial fermentation, cannot natively ferment lactose. The present study describes how an engineered S. cerevisiae yeast was constructed to produce lactic acid from purified lactose, whey, or dairy milk. Lactic acid is an excellent proof-of-concept chemical to produce from lactose, because lactic acid has many food, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses, and over 250,000 t are produced for industrial use annually. To ferment the milk sugar lactose, a cellodextrin transporter (CDT-1, which also transports lactose) and a ß-glucosidase (GH1-1, which also acts as a ß-galactosidase) from Neurospora crassa were expressed in a S. cerevisiae strain. A heterologous lactate dehydrogenase (encoded by ldhA) from the fungus Rhizopus oryzae was integrated into the CDT-1/GH1-1-expressing strain of S. cerevisiae. As a result, the engineered strain was able to produce lactic acid from purified lactose, whey, and store-bought milk. A lactic acid yield of 0.358g/g of lactose was achieved from whey fermentation, providing an initial proof of concept for the production of value-added chemicals from excess industrial whey using engineered yeast.