Longitudinal effects of exercise according to the World Health Organization guidelines on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults.

Purpose: To investigate the longitudinal effects of adequate exercise, defined as an exercise duration of ≥150 min/week by the World Health Organization (WHO), on cognitive function in middle-aged adults. Methods: This study was a longitudinal panel analysis using secondary data obtained from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) database, with 4,825 participants registered and comprising five rounds of survey data in 2-year intervals from 2010 to 2018. The participants were divided into the adequate exercise (≥150 min/week), deficient exercise (<150 min/week), and no exercise groups according to the WHO definition, and their cognitive decline over the 8-year period was analyzed. Further, we investigated the longitudinal effects of exercise using a fixed effects model with cognitive function as the dependent variable. Results: In the dementia group, both deficient (<150 min/week) and adequate (≥150 min/week) exercises had statistically significantly positive effects on cognitive function. However, the coefficient size was not significantly larger in the adequate exercise group than in the deficient exercise group. In the participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an adequate exercise level had significantly positive effects on cognitive function, while a deficient exercise level did not. In the participants with normal cognition, an adequate exercise level was not significantly associated with changes in cognitive function. Conclusion: Continuous exercise can have a positive influence on cognitive function scores in middle-aged and older adults with MCI or dementia, but the findings cannot substantiate that adequate exercise (≥150 min/week) is more effective compared to deficient exercise (<150 min/week).

Analysis of related factors for adolescents' intention to use alcohol in Korea.

The harmful effects of alcohol consumption by adolescents have been increasingly emphasized. Thus, it is necessary to identify individual and environmental factors that encourage drinking. This study investigated factors associated with the sustainable use of alcohol (SUA) in adolescents who consume alcohol, and the possibility of future drinking (PFD) in non-drinking adolescents. Data from "The Adolescents Awareness Survey of Alcohol Encouraging Environment" by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute (2017) were used. The survey was completed by 1,038 participant, selected through a proportional allocation extraction method, who were aged 13-18 years and lived in five cities with a population of over 1 million. The factors associated with SUA included gender (ß = 0.634, p = 0.004), grade (8th ß = 1.591, p<0.001, 9th ß = 1.674, p<0.001, 10th ß = 1.497, p = 0.001, 11th ß = 1.041, p = 0.004, 12th ß = 2.610, p<0.001), drinking alone (ß = -2.147, p = 0.002), liquor commercial (ß = 1.644, p<0.001), ease of alcohol purchase (ß = 1.541, p = 0.025), parent's recommendation for drinking (ß = 1.084, p<0.001), not knowing the mother's education level (ß = -0.685, p = 0.045), positive expectancy of drinking (ß = 0.141, p<0.001), number of pubs (ß = 0.303, p = 0.002), internet game cafes (ß = 0.456, p = 0.019), and karaokes (ß = -0.098, p = 0.023) in the community. The factors associated with the PFD in non-drinkers were grade (8th ß = 0.531, p = 0.024, 10th ß = 0.717, p = 0.035, 12th ß = 1.882, p = 0.001), liquor commercial (ß = -1.355, p<0.001), parent's recommendation for drinking (ß = 0.783, p = 0.020), positive expectancy of drinking (ß = 0.139, p<0.001), and relationship with the father (ß = 0.072, p = 0.033). Multidimensional interventions, including those by individuals, parents, peers, and local communities, are needed to prevent SUA and the PFD in adolescents.

Numerical analyses of a spectral beam combining multiple Yb-doped fiber lasers for optimal beam quality and combining efficiency.

Physical parameters of a spectral beam combining (SBC) system for multiple Yb-doped fiber lasers (YDFLs) were identified and numerically analyzed to obtain the optimal beam quality and the combining efficiency. We proposed an optimal range of the parameters that can be utilized in SBC systems. For a practical SBC system composed of a multi-layer dielectric grating and a transform mirror, we systematically varied input laser parameters such as the incident angle, beam diameter, laser linewidth, spectral spacing, number of beams, and their spatial separation. Characteristics of diffracted beams by the SBC system were numerically analyzed using a Fourier modal method (FMM). The beam quality M2 and the combining efficiency, η, were optimized by varying the laser beam parameters. We found that M2 and η were most affected by the angle of incidence and the laser linewidth, respectively. We presented the optimal parameters for three, five, and seven linear beam array SBCs along with a range of allowed parameters that could be used in the laser power scaling.

The Effectiveness of Learning to Use HMD-Based VR Technologies on Nursing Students: Chemoport Insertion Surgery.

Background: The purpose of this study was to develop a mobile head mounted display (HMD)-based virtual reality (VR) nursing education program (VRP), and to evaluate the effects on knowledge, learning attitude, satisfaction with self-practice, and learning motivation in nursing students. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effects of HMD-based VRP on nursing students. A Chemoport insertion surgery nursing scenario was developed with HMD-based VRP. The experimental group consisting of 30 nursing students underwent pre-debriefing, followed by VRP using HMD and debriefing. The control group, consisting of 30 nursing students, underwent pre-debriefing, followed by self-learning using handouts about Chemoport insertion surgery procedures for 30 min, and debriefing. Results: The experimental group that underwent HMD-based VRP showed significantly improved post-intervention knowledge on operating nursing (p = 0.001), learning attitude (p = 0.002), and satisfaction (p = 0.017) compared to the control group. Sub-domains of motivation, attention (p < 0.05), and relevance (p < 0.05) were significantly different between the two groups, post-intervention. Conclusions: HMD-based VRP of Chemoport insertion surgery is expected to contribute to knowledge, learning attitude, satisfaction, attention, and relevance in nursing students.

A cross-sectional study on public health nurses' disaster competencies and influencing factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea.

Public health nurses are performing various roles during the COVID-19 pandemic: counseling, surveillance, specimen collection, epidemiological investigation, education, and vaccination. This study investigated their disaster competencies in the context of emerging infectious diseases, and identified their influencing factors based on Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory. A convenience sample of 242 was selected from public health nurses working in a metropolitan city of South Korea. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS Statistics ver. 23.0. Results showed that the significant factors influencing disaster competencies included "willingness to respond to a disaster," "preventive behavior," "experience of receiving education on emerging infectious diseases response," "public health center experience," "job satisfaction," and "education." This regression model explained 33.2% of the variance in disaster competencies. "Willingness to respond to a disaster" was the strongest factor affecting disaster competencies. Based on these results, it is concluded that interventions to improve disaster competencies and psychological well-being of public health nurses are needed. Additionally, strategies such as creating a supportive work environment, deploying experienced nurses primarily on the front line, and reducing the tasks of permanent public health nurses should be implemented.

Cognitive Intervention Using Information and Communication Technology for Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Outside activities have decreased due to the spread of the COVID-19 since 2019; therefore, the need for education using information and communication technology (ICT) for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has increased. This study systematically evaluated the effects of cognitive enhancement interventions using ICT on older adults with MCI. METHODS: Six electronic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, PubMed, RISS, and KISS) were searched for relevant articles published from 25 January to 10 February, 2021. RESULTS: As a result of the systematic literature review, 12 research papers were finally selected as the literature for quality evaluation, and 11 final papers were selected, excluding one in the quality evaluation. From the synthesis in this study, it was found that cognitive intervention using ICT showed a statistically significant positive effect on cognitive function when compared with various control groups (SMD = 0.4547; p < 0.001; 95% CI: 0.1980-0.7113). CONCLUSIONS: Through this study, cognitive intervention using ICT showed a small effect size for older adults with mild cognitive impairment, and statistically significant results were found.

The Humanoid Robot Sil-Bot in a Cognitive Training Program for Community-Dwelling Elderly People with Mild Cognitive Impairment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a stage preceding dementia, and early intervention is critical. This study investigated whether multi-domain cognitive training programs, especially robot-assisted training, conducted 12 times, twice a week for 6 weeks can improve cognitive function and depression decline in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 135 volunteers without cognitive impairment aged 60 years old or older. Participants were first randomized into two groups. One group consisted of 90 participants who would receive cognitive training and 45 who would not receive any training (NI). The cognitive training group was randomly divided into two groups, 45 who received traditional cognitive training (TCT) and 45 who received robot-assisted cognitive training (RACT). The training for both groups consisted of a daily 60 min session, twice a week for six weeks. RESULTS: RACT participants had significantly greater post-intervention improvement in cognitive function (t = 4.707, p < 0.001), memory (t = -2.282, p = 0.007), executive function (t = 4.610, p < 0.001), and depression (t = -3.307, p = 0.004). TCT participants had greater post-intervention improvement in memory (t = -6.671, p < 0.001) and executive function (t = 5.393, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A 6-week robot-assisted, multi-domain cognitive training program can improve the efficiency of global cognitive function and depression during cognitive tasks in older adults with MCI, which is associated with improvements in memory and executive function.

High-Temperature Sensitivity in Stimulated Brillouin Scattering of 1060 nm Single-Mode Fibers.

With the rapid advancement of Yb-doped fiber lasers (YDFL) whose output wavelength is near 1060 nm, passive fibers to carry the high optical power at the spectral range are also gaining significant importance. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in the passive fibers connecting components in the lasers, especially, can set a fundamental limit in the power handling of YDFL systems. We experimentally analyzed SBS characteristics of passive single mode fibers (SMF) at a wavelength of 1060 nm. For two types of SMFs (Corning HI1060 and HI1060Flex), the Brillouin frequency (νΒ), its linewidth (ΔνΒ), and their variations with respect to the input laser power and the surrounding temperature were experimentally measured, along with the SBS threshold power (Pth). The optical heterodyne detection method was used to identify temperature-dependent SBS characteristics of fibers, and we found SMFs at λ = 1060 nm showed a temperature sensitivity in SBS frequency shift more than 40% higher than in conventional SMFs operating in C-band. Detailed procedures to measure the SBS properties are explained, and a new potential of 1060 nm SMF as a distributed temperature sensor is also discussed.