This study examines the role of schools in fostering multicultural integration in Korea's immigrant-dense areas using a social justice framework focused on equity, inclusivity, and participation. Surveys of teachers in elementary and middle schools with high immigrant populations evaluate the importance and implementation of strategies in school operations, educational activities, and culture. Using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) and the Borich needs assessment, the study identifies primary challenges and offers actionable recommendations to enhance equity and inclusion. Proposed innovations, including strategies for active parental involvement and community engagement, aim to benefit both immigrant and other vulnerable student groups.

This study investigates the educational challenges faced by schools in immigrant-dense areas of Korea, reflecting the country's progression towards embracing a multicultural identity. By analysing survey data from 95 schools, this research highlights a pronounced emphasis on Korean language mastery and academic achievement to meet the adaptation needs of students from immigrant backgrounds. However, this focus tends to sideline students' broader developmental needs, such as career guidance and social engagement opportunities. The findings underscore the necessity for more inclusive educational policies and practices that address the multifaceted needs of all students. There is strong advocacy for transitioning towards growth-oriented support mechanisms, alongside fostering greater collaboration between schools, local communities, and policymakers. By contributing to the discourse on multicultural education, this study proposes a reenvisioned educational framework. This framework aims to nurture the holistic development of students, ensuring their success in a multicultural society by not only recognizing but also actively catering to their diverse educational and developmental needs.

Objectives: Most COVID-19 outbreaks in South Korea occurred through close contact in dense and closed indoor environments. However, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in a group that camped together at an outdoor camping site in 2020, raising the need to observe precautions even when outdoors. We aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and the risk factors for transmission for developing precautionary measures during outdoor activities. Methods: A study was conducted among 10 patients during the outbreak that occurred at a domestic camping site in July 2020. The demographic and epidemiological characteristics were obtained through an epidemiological investigation; the transmission risk was evaluated through additional site visits and CCTV analysis. Results: The incidence rate of this outbreak was 55.6%. No other common sources of exposure other than that within the campsite were identified; the outbreak possibly occurred due to transmission via close contact with infected people during mealtime and conversation throughout the camping period without implementation of adequate prevention and control measures. Conclusion: It is the first COVID-19 outbreak that occurred at an outdoor camping site in South Korea. COVID-19 can spread even when outdoors, prevention and control measures such as maintaining social distancing and wearing a mask should be observed when a large number of people gather outdoors. To ensure safe camping, facility managers should keep the cleaning and hygiene, and users should minimize the risk of infection by following the recommended precautions while staying in public spaces.

When people read temporarily ambiguous (“garden-path”) sentences, the forward movement of their eyes is often interrupted by regressions. These regressions are usually followed by rereading some portion of the previously read text. Frazier and Rayner (1982) proposed the Selective Reanalysis Hypothesis (SRH), which proposed that readers regress to critical choice points in the syntactic phrase marker of garden-paths where misparses had occurred, and furthermore, then reanalyzed the syntactic structure to arrive at a correct parse in most cases. A considerable amount of more recent work, however, suggests that readers often do not derive a correct parse or interpretation from such sentences. If these more recent observations are accurate, perhaps rereading is not necessarily strategic, controlled, or predictable. The current study consists of two large-scale eye-tracking experiments designed specifically to examine where and how much people reread garden-path sentences, and whether rereading influences comprehension accuracy. A variable text-masking paradigm was employed to restrict access to portions of garden-paths and non-garden-paths during rereading. Scanpath analyses were used to determine whether some or all participants targeted syntactically critical parts of previously read text. Comprehension questions probed final interpretations. In short, readers often misinterpreted the garden-paths, and no rereading measures predicted better comprehension. Furthermore, scanpath analyses revealed considerable variation across and within readers; only small percentages of trials conformed to structurally-based predictions. Taken together, we fail to find support for structurally strategic rereading. We therefore propose that rereading of these sentences is more often “confirmatory” than “revisionary” in nature.

Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Department of Internal Medicine, Korea (the Republic of); EndoAI, Korea (the Republic of); Seoul National University Hospital, Korea (the Republic of); Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Korea (the Republic of).

Objectives: Most COVID-19 outbreaks in South Korea occurred through close contact in dense and closed indoor environments. However, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in a group that camped together at an outdoor camping site in 2020, raising the need to observe precautions even when outdoors. We aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and the risk factors for transmission for developing precautionary measures during outdoor activities.

Executive attention impairments are a persistent and debilitating consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). To make headway towards treating and predicting outcomes following heterogeneous TBI, cognitive impairment specific pathophysiology first needs to be characterized. In a prospective observational study, we measured EEG during the attention network test aimed at detecting alerting, orienting, executive attention and processing speed. The sample (N = 110) of subjects aged 18-86 included those with and without traumatic brain injury: n = 27, complicated mild TBI; n = 5, moderate TBI; n = 10, severe TBI; n = 63, non-brain-injured controls. Subjects with TBI had impairments in processing speed and executive attention. Electrophysiological markers of executive attention processing in the midline frontal regions reveal that, as a group, those with TBI and elderly non-brain-injured controls have reduced responses. We also note that those with TBI and elderly controls have responses that are similar for both low and high-demand trials. In subjects with moderate-severe TBI, reductions in frontal cortical activation and performance profiles are both similar to that of controls who are & SIM;4 to 7 years older. Our specific observations of frontal response reductions in subjects with TBI and in older adults is consistent with the suggested role of the anterior forebrain mesocircuit as underlying cognitive impairments. Our results provide novel correlative data linking specific pathophysiological mechanisms underlying domain-specific cognitive deficits following TBI and with normal aging. Collectively, our findings provide biomarkers that may serve to track therapeutic interventions and guide development of targeted therapeutics following brain injuries.

To establish health policies for the prevention of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related diseases, observation of prevalence trends and confirmation of risk factors for H. pylori infection are important. New infections of H. pylori have been falling due to improved sanitation and better living conditions over the decades. However, its prevalence has been reported to be still higher than 50% in 2013 in Africa, Central/South America, some areas of Asia, and South/East Europe and at least two-fold higher in countries with high gastric cancer (GC) incidence. In South Korea where the incidence of GC is still the highest in the world, the prevalence of H. pylori decreased to 41.5% in 2016–2017. In contrast, in Northern Europe and North America, about one-third of adults are infected. However, even in these countries, H. pylori remains highly prevalent among the immigrants coming from countries with a high prevalence of H. pylori. The lower prevalence of infection in children aged around 5–10% even in the presence of high prevalence in adults suggests a further decline of H. pylori prevalence in the coming decades. Low socioeconomic conditions in childhood are the most important risk factors for H. pylori infection. Although the way of transmission is still unclear, interpersonal transmission appears to be the main route, especially, in the developed countries.

Cognitive impairment after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is persistent and disabling. Assessing cognitive function in a reliable and valid manner, using measures that are sensitive to the integrity of underlying neural substrates, is crucial in clinical research. The Attention Network Test (ANT) is one such assessment measure that has demonstrated associations with neural regions involved in attention; however, clinical utility of the ANT is limited because its relationship with neuropsychological measures of cognitive function (i.e., its construct validity) has not yet been established in TBI. We evaluated the association between the ANT and 1) a neuropsychological battery assessing executive function and memory and 2) global function assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE). Forty-eight adults with complicated mild-severe TBI were evaluated ∼5 months post-injury. Using principal component analysis and multi-variate linear regression adjusted for age, gender, education, and cause of injury, we found that ANT reaction time and executive network scores predicted a principal component assessing processing speed and executive function. Conversely, the ANT did not predict a principal component assessing memory. The ANT was weakly associated with the GOSE. Among persons with TBI during the post-acute phase of recovery, the ANT has good construct validity as evidenced by its associations with neuropsychological measures of processing speed and executive function, but not memory. Given that ANT networks are known to relate to specific neuroanatomical regions, the ANT may be a useful outcome measure for evaluating novel therapeutics targeting attention and executive functions after TBI.

This study explored the heterogeneous nature of student perceptions of teaching methods and investigated the predictors at the student and school level using data from the Analysis on the Qualitative Level and Actual Condition of School Education: Middle School in Korea. Additionally, the study compared the means of creative competencies according to every profile of teaching methods. Five distinct profiles were identified via the application of multilevel latent profile analysis to capture the structure of nested data: the high integrated profile, high teacher-centered and high discovery learning profile, lecture-centered and low collaborative profile, average profile, and low questioning and low discussion profile. Profile membership was found to be closely related to student characteristics (academic achievement, class understanding, academic self-concept, and class attitudes) and school-level factors (degree of performance assessment use and teacher efficacy). The study’s findings revealed that the high integrated profile demonstrated significantly higher levels of creative competencies vis-à-vis other profile groups. This study offers suggestions for the improvement of current classroom instruction practices.

This study investigated the optimum task sequence for second language (L2) novice learners of English. One set of task sequences was manipulated using a deductive and theoretical SSARC (simplify–stabilize–automatize–restructure–complexify) model, and two sets of task sequences were manipulated based on a teacher’s inductive classroom observations. A total of 76 undergraduates at a private university in Korea were divided into three groups for the task sequences: task complexity (TC), guided planning with vocabulary (GPV), and guided planning with content (GPC). While the four oral tasks were sequenced according to the resource-directing dimensions [± elements] and [± reasoning] in all three groups, the TC group received pretask planning, the GPV group received teacher-led guided planning with words, and the GPC group received teacher-led guided planning with content for the resource-dispersing dimensions. Pretest and posttest of syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency were used as the main data. The analysis showed that the TC group outperformed the GPV and GPC groups significantly in increasing overall syntactic complexity, and the GPV group outperformed the GPC group significantly in improving speed fluency. Both sequencing TC and GPV tasks significantly increased syntactic complexity and speed fluency. Sequencing TC tasks decreased accuracy and increased dysfluency, whereas sequencing GPV tasks increased accuracy and decreased dysfluency. Meanwhile, sequencing GPC tasks did not produce overall positive effects on oral performance compared with the two other groups.

Objectives This study aimed to classify coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related deaths according to whether COVID-19 was listed as the cause of death, and to investigate the differences in demographic characteristics and risk factors for COVID-19 death classifications. Methods A total of 5,625 deaths in South Korea among patients with confirmed COVID-19 from January 20, 2020 to December 31, 2021 were selected. Excluding false reports and unnatural deaths, 5,597 deaths were analyzed. Based on death report data, deaths were classified according to whether the cause of death was listed as COVID-19 (CD) or not (NCD). The epidemiological characteristics and causes of deaths were investigated using descriptive, univariate, and multivariate statistical analyses. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to analyze the risk factors. Results The case fatality ratio was 0.89% and increased with age. Additionally, 96.4% of the subjects had an underlying disease, and 53.4% died in winter. The proportion of NCDs was 9.3%, of whom 19.1% died at home and 39.0% were confirmed to have COVID-19 after death. Malignant neoplasms (102/416 vs. 637/4,442; OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.36−2.16; p<0.001) were significantly associated with NCD. Conclusion This is the first study to analyze risk factors by cause of death using COVID-19 death report data in South Korea. These results are expected to be used as evidence for establishing a death monitoring system that can collect timely information in a new infectious disease pandemic.

This study aimed to determine the degree of alarm fatigue and mental workload of ICU nurses, and to clarify the relationship between these two variables. A cross-sectional, descriptive research design was used. Data were collected from 90 nurses working in four ICUs in Seoul, Republic of Korea, using a questionnaire determining their degree of alarm fatigue and mental workload. Data were collected from 6 March to 26 April 2021 and were analyzed using a t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The average alarm-fatigue score was 28.59 out of 44. The item with the highest score was “I often hear a certain amount of noise in the ward”, with a score of 3.59 out of 4. The average of the mental workload scores was 75.21 out of 100. The highest mental workload item was effort, which scored 78.72 out of 100. No significant correlation was found between alarm fatigue and mental workload. Although nurses were consistently exposed to alarm fatigue, this was not directly related to their mental workloads, perhaps owing to their professional consciousness as they strived to accomplish tasks despite alarm fatigue. However, since alarm fatigue can affect efficiency, investigations to reduce it and develop appropriate guidelines are necessary. This study was not registered.

As of September 3, 2022, 5,388,338 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 46 deaths (3 in 2021 and 43 in 2022) were reported in children ≤ 18 years in Korea. Cumulative confirmed cases accounted for 67.3% of the population aged ≤ 18 years and case fatality rate was 0.85/100,000. Among 46 fatal cases, 58.7% were male and median age was 7 years. Underlying diseases were present in 47.8%; neurologic diseases (63.6%) and malignancy (13.6%) most common. Only four had history of COVID-19 immunization. COVID-19 associated deaths occurred at median 2 days from diagnosis (range: -1 to 21). Among COVID-19 deaths, 41.3% occurred before admission; 2 before hospital arrival and 17 in the emergency department. Among children whose cause was documented, myocarditis, respiratory and multiorgan failure were most common. COVID-19 associated death was seen early after diagnosis in children and public health policies to provide access to medical care for children with COVID-19 are essential during the pandemic.

Tumor marker, CT, MRI, and cervical smear were conventional methods for early diagnosis and predict prognosis in endometrial cancer, but they still had limitations. Cervical smear samples, which are easy to obtain, and reflect the tumor environment, are sequenced in this study. Patients who underwent endometrial surgery were prospectively enrolled since January 2021. Cervical smear samples were obtained preoperatively via vaginal sampling. Matched blood samples were obtained simultaneously. Tumor genomic DNA (gDNA) and cell-free DNA were extracted and analyzed with a custom panel that covers 100 endometrial cancer-related genes. Prepared libraries were sequenced using NovaSeq 6000 System (Illumina) and analyzed using PiSeq analysis (Dxome). Cervical smear samples were obtained from 101 patients, including 76 cancer patients with predominantly early-stage cancer (i.e., 40 stage IA patients and 17 stage III or IV patients) and 25 non-cancer patients. Overall, cervical swab-based gDNA detected cancer with a sensitivity of 66% and specificity of 96%. Investigation of matched blood and matched PAP smear among endometrial cancer patients showed that the detection rate of cervical swab-based gDNA was higher than either of the two modalities. Also, we identified patients effectively with loss of MSH2 or MSH6 and aberrant p53 expression based on immunohistochemistry. Genomic landscape analysis identified PTEN, PIK3CA, TP53, ARID1A, KRAS, and CTNNB1 as the most frequently altered genes. There were co-occurring genes, such as PTEN with ARID1A and PIK3CA, and TP53 was captured exclusively with CTNNB1, ARD1A, and PTEN. 50 patients were classified according to the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer: MMRd (n=6, 12%), POLE (n=3, 6%), p53 abnormal (n=10, 20%) and p53 wildtype (n=31, 62%). CTNNB1 mutation occurred in 8 patients in the p53 wildtype group. Cervical swab-based gDNA showed moderate sensitivity and high specificity, with an improved detection rate compared to either whole blood ctDNA or conventional PAP smear. Furthermore, it allowed patients to be classified according to ProMisE classification, having both predictive and prognostic implications.

During normal reading, readers' perceptions of time in a narrative shift according to grammatical and semantic cues. This study investigated the extent to which second-language (L2) readers' interpretations of situations depicted in narratives are influenced by the grammatical aspect (perfective/progressive) and temporal duration (short/long) of intervening events. The study further examined whether reading fluency and L2 proficiency modulated how readers' mentally constructed the depicted situations. Thirty-one L2 learners of English and 37 English-first-language (L1) controls completed a reading comprehension task in which each of 40 stories contained a target event with an inherent endpoint, with accomplishment verbs that were described as completed or in progress, followed by a short- or long-duration event. A reading-fluency task and a cloze test were administered. While grammatical marking played a significant role for both groups of participants, grammatical aspect and event duration showed an interaction only for L2 learners. The construction of a situation was modulated for both groups by reading fluency.

For endometrial cancer patients, liquid biopsy based on whole blood is less invasive than endometrial biopsy and has the potential to be serially collected for monitoring after hysterectomy. Thus, we analyzed serially obtained ctDNA from endometrial cancer patients undergoing staging operation. Patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer since January 2021 were prospectively enrolled. Whole blood samples were collected prior to staging operation and every three months thereafter. Control samples were obtained from patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign indication. ctDNA was extracted and analyzed with a custom panel covering 100 endometrial cancer-related genes. Prepared libraries were sequenced using NovaSeq 6000 System (Illumina) and analyzed using PiSeq analysis (Dxome). A total of 91 patients, including 72 endometrial cancer and 19 control patients, contributed 154 samples for analysis. Endometrial cancer patients consisted of 43 patients with uterine confined disease (stage IA, 32%; IB, 17%; II, 5%) and 23 patients with advanced disease (stage III, 18%; IV or recurrent, 28%). The detection rate was higher in advanced (65%) compared to uterine confined disease (29%) (p-value=0.01). Stratified by clinical stage, sensitivity and specificity with respect to cancer detection were 61% and 94.6% for advanced disease and 23% and 94.7% for uterine confined disease, respectively. Genomic landscape analysis of 30 patients harboring pathogenic mutations at baseline highlighted frequently altered genes such as TP53 (43%), PTEN (37%), ARID1A (23%), PIK3CA (13%). Other interesting genes included MSH6 (7%), and CTNNB1 (3%). Analysis of 35 patients with serial samples showed that among 13 patients with detectable somatic mutation at baseline, negative conversion was found in 8 patients and persistent mutation in 5 patients. Detection and monitoring by whole blood-based ctDNA is feasible in endometrial cancer patients, especially those with advanced stage disease who may benefit from heightened surveillance after surgery. Genomic mutations as well as their trend may help tailor adjuvant therapy. Updated analysis with additional patients will be shared at the conference.