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Although many educators have recently discussed the positive effects of flipped learning, there is little empirical evidence about whether this approach can actually promote students' English learning. This study was undertaken in four sections of the same College English 1 (E1) course over two consecutive semesters at a South Korean university. A total of 79 students enrolled in the E1 course participated in the study. Of the participants, 39 learned English using a communicative language teaching approach, whereas 40 studied English in a flipped learning manner. Data were gathered from the students' achievements in three major tasks, their responses to three surveys, and the instructor's notes on the students' engagement in the process of their English learning. Findings demonstrate that the students in the flipped classroom achieved higher average scores in their final three tasks than those in the non-flipped classroom, but only the final examination mean score indicated statistical significance. However, surveys indicated that most students in this study seemed to enjoy learning English in a flipped learning environment. Also, the instructor found the students in the flipped classroom to be more engaged in the learning process than those in the non-flipped classroom. Pedagogical implications for effective English teaching are discussed. (Verlag).

The purpose of this study was to explore how Korean college students developed their English composition abilities based on their teacher’s written comments on their class assignments. Drawing upon Vygotsky’s (1978) socioconstructivist perspective on learning and Noddings’(1984) concept of care, I focused on the relationship between teacher and students and the effects of that relationship on the feedback and revision process. Participants included one non-native teacher of English and 14 students enrolled in a six-week summer English academic writing class in a Korean university in which the teacher employed the process writing approach to help students learn to write in English and the students were encouraged to revise their drafts from her written comments. Data were collected from formal, informal, and text-based interviews, class observations, and students’ writing samples commented on by the teacher. In this study, the feedback and revision process was not portrayed as an intellectual activity involving only the teacher and each student, but as a social activity that involved a highly complex, dynamic, and interpersonal process. Despite various constraints and conditions, when the teacher committed herself to helping her students learn to write in English, the students generally responded to her with respect and appreciation. Particularly, her written comments allowed her and her students to meet as the one-caring and the cared-fors respectively. However, for caring to be developed and sustained, building trust in each other was a necessary condition, one that was problematic for some students. Three major contributions of the study include the following: (1) an expansion of Noddings’ (1984) conception of caring to the English academic writing education in a foreign language context; (2) a re-envisionment of the cognitive process model of writing and revision in which the success of writing and revision was determined by students’ knowledge and their intention in revision, now adding the role of the relationship between teacher and student; and (3) a new view of the feedback and revision process not as a product but as a frame within an EFL classroom.

The rodeo algorithm is an efficient algorithm for eigenstate preparation and eigenvalue estimation for any observable on a quantum computer. This makes it a promising tool for studying the spectrum and structure of atomic nuclei as well as other fields of quantum many-body physics. The only requirement is that the initial state has sufficient overlap probability with the desired eigenstate. While it is exponentially faster than well-known algorithms such as phase estimation and adiabatic evolution for eigenstate preparation, it has yet to be implemented on an actual quantum device. In this work, we apply the rodeo algorithm to determine the energy levels of a random one-qubit Hamiltonian, resulting in a relative error of 0.08 % using mid-circuit measurements on the IBM Q device Casablanca. This surpasses the accuracy of directly-prepared eigenvector expectation values using the same quantum device. We take advantage of the high-accuracy energy determination and use the Hellmann–Feynman theorem to compute eigenvector expectation values for a different random one-qubit observable. For the Hellmann–Feynman calculations, we find a relative error of 0.7 % . We conclude by discussing possible future applications of the rodeo algorithm for multi-qubit Hamiltonians.

The rodeo algorithm is an efficient algorithm for eigenstate preparation and eigenvalue estimation for any observable on a quantum computer. This makes it a promising tool for studying the spectrum and structure of atomic nuclei as well as other fields of quantum many-body physics. The only requirement is that the initial state has sufficient overlap probability with the desired eigenstate. While it is exponentially faster than well-known algorithms such as phase estimation and adiabatic evolution for eigenstate preparation, it has yet to be implemented on an actual quantum device. In this work, we apply the rodeo algorithm to determine the energy levels of a random one-qubit Hamiltonian, resulting in a relative error of 0.08% using mid-circuit measurements on the IBM Q device Casablanca. This surpasses the accuracy of directly-prepared eigenvector expectation values using the same quantum device. We take advantage of the high-accuracy energy determination and use the Hellmann-Feynman theorem to compute eigenvector expectation values for a different random one-qubit observable. For the Hellmann-Feynman calculations, we find a relative error of 0.7%. Here, we conclude by discussing possible future applications of the rodeo algorithm for multi-qubit Hamiltonians.

We aimed to evaluate limb salvage, defined as freedom from major amputation, and to identify predictors of major amputation in patients with infrapopliteal peripheral arterial disease (PAD) based on the updated 2015 TASC II anatomic classification treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). This was a retrospective study of infrapopliteal PTA procedures performed for PAD over a 4-year period. Patient demographics, medical comorbidities, risk factors, angiographic imaging, technical details, and clinical follow-up were analyzed to determine limb salvage rates, technical success, and all-cause mortality. Predictors of major amputation following PTA were identified. A total of 112 patients were treated by infrapopliteal PTA. Most lesions consisted of TASC C (44%) and D (34%) categories, were over 10 cm in length, and were occlusive and heavily calcified (89%). Overall technical success was 75%, with limb salvage rates of 77% at 1 year and 65% at 3 years following PTA. Smoking, previous stroke or cardiovascular events, and anticoagulation use were associated with an increased risk of major amputation following PTA. PTA of complex infrapopliteal PAD is associated with good intermediate term limb salvage rates.

Background To evaluate Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval practices over a 9-year period at an academic hospital with a prospectively maintained IVC filter registry. Method An IVC filter registry was maintained prospectively within our institution. We reviewed cases between August 2011 and June 2020, following filter status, retrieval plans, and eventual retrieval date. The validity of the database was cross referenced with a Picture Archiving and Communication System and patient records. Results Three hundred forty-three patients had IVC filters inserted. Three filter types were used, Celect (Cook Medical) in 189, Gunther Tulip (GT) (Cook Medical) in 65, ALN (ALN) in 89. 196 (57%) filters were retrieved, 108 (31.5%) were made permanent, 36 (10.5%) died before retrieval, and 3 (1%) were yet to be retrieved. Retrieval rates were 92.5% overall (86% for GT, 93% for Celect and 94.5% for ALN). The mean dwell time for successful retrieval was 59 days with the majority of insertions (85%) removed in under 100 days. Failed initial retrieval occurred in 23 patients, 10 (43%) were retrieved at second attempt, 13/23 filters remained in-situ and were deemed permanent. Conclusion The removal of IVC filters, when indication for insertion has past, is no longer the sole responsibility of the referring physician but also the responsibility of the Interventionalist. Our retrieval rates of 92.5% of eligible IVC filters highlights the value of maintaining a prospective IVC filter registry.

Purpose To prospectively compare the procedural time and complication rates of ultrasound-guided and fluoroscopy-assisted antegrade common femoral artery (CFA) puncture techniques. Materials and Methods Hundred consecutive patients, undergoing a vascular procedure for which an antegrade approach was deemed necessary/desirable, were randomly assigned to undergo either ultrasound-guided or fluoroscopy-assisted CFA puncture. Time taken from administration of local anaesthetic to vascular sheath insertion in the superficial femoral artery (SFA), patients’ age, body mass index (BMI), fluoroscopy radiation dose, haemostasis method and immediate complications were recorded. Mean and median values were calculated and statistically analysed with unpaired t tests. Results Sixty-nine male and 31 female patients underwent antegrade puncture (mean age 66.7 years). The mean BMI was 25.7 for the ultrasound-guided ( n  = 53) and 25.3 for the fluoroscopy-assisted ( n  = 47) groups. The mean time taken for the ultrasound-guided puncture was 7 min 46 s and for the fluoroscopy-assisted technique was 9 min 41 s ( p  = 0.021). Mean fluoroscopy dose area product in the fluoroscopy group was 199 cGy cm 2 . Complications included two groin haematomas in the ultrasound-guided group and two retroperitoneal haematomas and one direct SFA puncture in the fluoroscopy-assisted group. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided technique is faster and safer for antegrade CFA puncture when compared to the fluoroscopic-assisted technique alone.

We evaluated the Gunther Tulip (GT) retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filter with regard to indications, filtration efficacy, complications, retrieval window, and use of anticoagulation. A retrospective study was performed of 147 patients (64 men, 83 women; mean age 58.8 years) who underwent retrievable GT filter insertion between 2001 and 2005. The indications for placement included a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis with a contraindication to anticoagulation (n = 68), pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis while on anticoagulation (n = 49), prophylactic filter placement for high-risk surgical patients with a past history of pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis (n = 20), and a high risk of pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis (n = 10). Forty-nine of the 147 patients did not receive anticoagulation (33.7%) while 96 of 147 patients did, 82 of these receiving warfarin (56.5%), 11 receiving low-molecular weight heparins (7.58%), and 3 receiving antiplatelet agents alone (2.06%). Filter placement was successful in 147 patients (100%). Two patients had two filters inserted. Of the 147 patients, filter deployment was on a permanent basis in 102 and with an intention to retrieve in 45 patients. There were 36 (80%) successful retrievals and 9 (20%) failed retrievals. The mean time to retrieval was 33.6 days. The reasons for failed retrieval included filter struts tightly adherent to the IVC wall (5/9), extreme filter tilt (2/9), and extensive filter thrombus (2/9). Complications included pneumothorax (n = 4), failure of filter expansion (n = 1), and breakthrough pulmonary embolism (n = 1). No IVC thrombotic episodes were recorded. The Gunther Tulip retrievable filter can be used as a permanent or a retrievable filter. It is safe and efficacious. GT filters can be safely retrieved at a mean time interval of 33.6 days. The newly developed Celect filter may extend the retrieval interval.

In two trials of a trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in pregnant women in South Africa, HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected vaccine recipients had increased influenza antibody titers and decreased influenza attack rates. Pregnant women are designated as a priority group for seasonal influenza vaccination by the World Health Organization (WHO) 1 because of their heightened susceptibility to severe influenza from the second trimester to the early postpartum period. 2 , 3 Since pregnancy is associated with immunomodulation, including the attenuation of cell-mediated immune responses, 4 the efficacy of inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) in pregnant women may differ from its efficacy in healthy nonpregnant women and in men. 5 This difference in vaccine efficacy could be further accentuated in pregnant women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), who are at heightened risk for severe influenza illness 6 – . . .