Effect of cervical Bishop score on induction of labor at term in primiparas using Foley catheter balloon: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies had found that the mechanical methods were as effective as pharmacological methods in achieving vaginal delivery. However, whether balloon catheter induction is suitable for women with severe cervical immaturity and whether it will increase the related risks still need to be further explored. RESEARCH AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Foley catheter balloon for labor induction at term in primiparas with different cervical scores. METHODS: A total of 688 primiparas who received cervical ripening with a Foley catheter balloon were recruited in this study. They were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (Bishop score ≤ 3) and Group 2 (3 < Bishop score < 7). Detailed medical data before and after using of balloon were faithfully recorded. RESULTS: The cervical Bishop scores of the two groups after catheter placement were all significantly higher than those before (Group 1: 5.49 ± 1.31 VS 2.83 ± 0.39, P<0.05; Group 2: 6.09 ± 1.00 VS 4.45 ± 0.59, P<0.05). The success rate of labor induction in group 2 was higher than that in group 1 (P<0.05). The incidence of intrauterine infection in Group 1 was higher than that in Group 2 (18.3% VS 11.3%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The success rates of induction of labor by Foley catheter balloon were different in primiparas with different cervical conditions, the failure rate of induction of labor and the incidence of intrauterine infection were higher in primiparas with severe cervical immaturity.

The application of the ICD-10 for antepartum stillbirth patients in a referral centre of Eastern China: a retrospective study from 2015 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: The causes of some stillbirths are unclear, and additional work must be done to investigate the risk factors for stillbirths. OBJECTIVE: To apply the International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) for antepartum stillbirth at a referral center in eastern China. METHODS: Antepartum stillbirths were grouped according to the cause of death according to the International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) criteria. The main maternal condition at the time of antepartum stillbirth was assigned to each patient. RESULTS: Antepartum stillbirths were mostly classified as fetal deaths of unspecified cause, antepartum hypoxia. Although more than half of the mothers were without an identified condition at the time of the antepartum stillbirth, where there was a maternal condition associated with perinatal death, maternal medical and surgical conditions and maternal complications during pregnancy were most common. Of all the stillbirths, 51.2% occurred between 28 and 37 weeks of gestation, the main causes of stillbirth at different gestational ages also differed. Autopsy and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) were recommended in all stillbirths, but only 3.6% received autopsy and 10.5% underwent chromosomal microarray analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The ICD-10 is helpful in classifying the causes of stillbirths, but more than half of the stillbirths in our study were unexplained; therefore, additional work must be done. And the ICD-10 score may need to be improved, such as by classifying stillbirths according to gestational age. Autopsy and CMA could help determine the cause of stillbirth, but the acceptance of these methods is currently low.

Chlorpyrifos degradation and its impacts on phosphorus bioavailability in microplastic-contaminated soil.

Pesticide residues and microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils are two major concerns for soil health and food safety. The degradation of chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphorus pesticide, releases phosphates. This process may be affected by the presence of MPs in the soil. The combination of CPF and MPs presence in the soil may thus produce interaction effects that alter the soil phosphorus (P) balance. This study explores the degradation pathways of CPF (6 mg kg-1, 12 mg kg-1 of CPF addition) in soils with different levels of polylactic acid MPs (PLA-MPs) (0.0 %, 0.1 %, 0.5 %, 1.0 % w/w), and analyzes soil P fractions and phosphatase enzyme activities to investigate soil P bioavailability under different treatments. Results show that the degradation of CPF fits to a first-order decay model, with half-lives (DT50) ranging from 11.0 to 14.8 d depending on PLA-MPs treatment. The concentration of its metabolite 3, 5, 6-trichloropyridine 2-phenol (TCP) reached a peak of 0.93-1.67 mg kg-1 within 7-14 days. Similarly, the degradation of CPF led to a significant transient increase in P bioavailability within 3-7 days (p < 0.05), with a peak range of 22.55-26.01 mg kg-1 for Olsen-P content and a peak range of 4.63-6.76 % for the proportions of available P fractions (H2O-P+NaHCO3-P+NaOH-P), before returning to prior levels (Olsen-P: 11.28-19.52 mg kg-1; available soil P fractions: 4.15-5.61 %). CPF degradation (6 mg kg-1) was significantly inhibited in soil with 1.0 % PLA-MPs addition. The effects of MPs and CPF on soil P fractions occur at different time frames, implying that their modes of action and interactions with soil microbes differ.

Situational simulation teaching effectively improves dental students' non-operational clinical competency and objective structured clinical examination performance.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate communication with dental patients enhances treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. Implementing simulated patient interviews courses can improve patient-centered care and reduce conflict during clerkship training. Therefore, this study explored the relationship among student participation in a situational simulation course (SSC), academic performance, clerkship performance, and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance. METHODS: This study was conducted with a sample of fifth-year dental students undergoing clerkship training. After implementing a situational simulation course to investigate the relationship among participation in SSC, academic performance, clerkship performance, and OSCE performance, a path analysis model was developed and tested. RESULTS: Eighty-seven fifth-year dental students were eligible for the SSC, and most (n = 70, 80.46%) volunteered to participate. The path analysis model revealed that academic performance had a direct effect on OSCE performance (ß = 0.281, P = 0.003) and clerkship performance (ß = 0.441, P < 0.001). In addition, SSC teaching had a direct effect on OSCE performance (ß = 0.356, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SSCs can enhance dental students' non-operational clinical competency and OSCE performance effectively. Simulated patient encounters with feedback, incorporated into the dental curricula, have led to improved communication. Based on our findings, we suggest implementing SSC teaching before the OSCE to improve communication and cognitive skills.

Fermented Protaetia brevitarsis Larvae Improves Neurotoxicity in Chronic Ethanol-Induced-Dementia Mice via Suppressing AKT and NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

This study was investigated to examine the neuroprotective effect of fermented Protaetia brevitarsis larvae (FPB) in ethanol-induced-dementia mice. Consumption of FPB by mice resulted in improved memory dysfunction in the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. FPB significantly decreased oxidative stress by regulating levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in brain tissues. In addition, FPB restored cerebral mitochondrial dysfunction by modulating levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ATP. In addition, FPB enhanced the cholinergic system via the regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) content, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and expressions of AChE and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in brain tissues. FPB ameliorated neuronal apoptosis through modulation of the protein kinase B (AKT)/B-cell lymphoma (BCL)-2 signaling pathway. Also, FPB improved inflammation response by down-regulating the toll-like receptor (TLR)-4/nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. Additionally, FPB ameliorated synaptic plasticity via the increase of the expressions of synaptophysin (SYP), postsynaptic density protein (PSD)-95, and growth-associated protein (GAP)-43. Treatment with FPB also reinforced the blood-brain barrier by increasing tight junctions including zonula occludens (ZO)-1, occludin, and claudin-1. In conclusion, these results show that FPB can improve cognitive impairment via AKT/NF-κB pathways in ethanol-induced-dementia mice.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Rhodeus uyekii in the Republic of Korea Revealed by Microsatellite Markers from Whole Genome Assembly.

This study is the first report to characterize the Rhodus uyekii genome and study the development of microsatellite markers and their markers applied to the genetic structure of the wild population. Genome assembly was based on PacBio HiFi and Illumina HiSeq paired-end sequencing, resulting in a draft genome assembly of R. uyekii. The draft genome was assembled into 2652 contigs. The integrity assessment of the assemblies indicates that the quality of the draft assemblies is high, with 3259 complete BUSCOs (97.2%) in the database of Verbrata. A total of 31,166 predicted protein-coding genes were annotated in the protein database. The phylogenetic tree showed that R. uyekii is a close but distinct relative of Onychostoma macrolepis. Among the 10 fish genomes, there were significant gene family expansions (8-2387) and contractions (16-2886). The average number of alleles amplified by the 21 polymorphic markers ranged from 6 to 23, and the average PIC value was 0.753, which will be useful for evolutionary and genetic analysis. Using population genetic analysis, we analyzed genetic diversity and the genetic structures of 120 individuals from 6 populations. The average number of alleles per population ranged from 7.6 to 9.9, observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.496 to 0.642, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.587 to 0.783. Discriminant analysis of principal components According to the analysis method, the population was divided into three populations (BS vs. DC vs. GG, GC, MS, DC). In conclusion, our study provides a useful resource for comparative genomics, phylogeny, and future population studies of R. uyekii.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Allium ochotense Extracts on Chronic Alcohol-Induced Fatty Liver and Hepatic Inflammation in C57BL/6 Mice.

This study was performed to investigate the protective effects of Allium ochotense on fatty liver and hepatitis in chronic alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity. The physiological compounds of a mixture of aqueous and 60% ethanol (2:8, w/w) extracts of A. ochotense (EA) were identified as kestose, raffinose, kaempferol and quercetin glucoside, and kaempferol di-glucoside by UPLC Q-TOF MSE. The EA regulated the levels of lipid metabolism-related biomarkers such as total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in serum. Also, EA ameliorated the levels of liver toxicity-related biomarkers such as glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and total bilirubin in serum. EA improved the antioxidant system by reducing malondialdehyde contents and increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels and reduced glutathione content. EA improved the alcohol metabolizing enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenase, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). Treatment with EA alleviated lipid accumulation-related protein expression by improving phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) expression levels. Especially, EA reduced inflammatory response by regulating the toll-like receptor-4/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (TLR-4/NF-κB) signaling pathway. EA showed an anti-apoptotic effect by regulating the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCl-2), BCl-2-associated X protein (BAX), and caspase 3. Treatment with EA also ameliorated liver fibrosis via inhibition of transforming growth factor-beta 1/suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic (TGF-ß1/Smad) pathway and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Therefore, these results suggest that EA might be a potential prophylactic agent for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease.

Unraveling the relationship between soil carbon-degrading enzyme activity and carbon fraction under biogas slurry topdressing.

Biogas slurry, a by-product of the anaerobic digestion of biomass waste, predominantly consisting of livestock and poultry manure, is widely acclaimed as a sustainable organic fertilizer owing to its abundant reserves of essential nutrients. Its distinctive liquid composition, when tactfully integrated with a drip irrigation system, unveils immense potential, offering unparalleled convenience in application. In this study, we investigated the impact of biogas slurry topdressing as a replacement for chemical fertilizer (BSTR) on soil total organic carbon (TOC) fractions and carbon (C)-degrading enzyme activities across different soil depths (surface, sub-surface, and deep) during the tasseling (VT) and full maturity stage (R6) of maize. BSTR increased the TOC content within each soil layer during both VT and R6 periods, inducing alterations in the content and proportion of individual C component, particularly in the topsoil. Notably, the pure biogas slurry topdressing treatment (100%BS) compared with the pure chemical fertilizer topdressing treatment (CF), exhibited a 38.9% increase in the labile organic carbon of the topsoil during VT, and a 30.3% increase in the recalcitrant organic carbon during R6, facilitating microbial nutrient utilization and post-harvest C storage during the vigorous growth period of maize. Furthermore, BSTR treatment stimulated the activity of oxidative and hydrolytic C-degrading enzymes, with the 100%BS treatment showcasing the most significant enhancements, with its average geometric enzyme activity surpassing that of CF treatment by 27.9% and 27.4%, respectively. This enhancement facilitated ongoing and efficient degradation and transformation of C. Additionally, we screened for C components and C-degrading enzymes that are relatively sensitive to BSTR. The study highlight the advantages of employing pure biogas slurry topdressing, which enhances C component and C-degrading enzyme activity, thereby reducing the risk of soil degradation. This research lays a solid theoretical foundation for the rational recycling of biogas slurry.

Patient perception of service quality to preanesthetic oral examination: a cross-sectional study using the SERVQUAL model.

BACKGROUND: A phase-III interdisciplinary quality improvement program, the preanesthetic oral examination (PAOE), was implemented as a new program in an academic medical center to prevent perioperative dental injuries. This study was aimed at surveying the perceived service quality and satisfaction of patients who had undergone PAOE based on the SERVQUAL model. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted at the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital using convenience sampling. Patients referred for PAOE (PAOE group) and those who had voluntarily availed dental services (control group) were recruited. A modified SERVQUAL questionnaire was used to assess the perceived service quality and patient satisfaction with dental services. Cronbach's alpha for SERVQUAL was 0.861. RESULTS: We enrolled 286 (68.8%) and 130 (31.2%) participants in the PAOE and control groups, respectively. The path analysis revealed that the PAOE group scored lower in dimensions of reliability (ß = -0.074, P = 0.003), responsiveness (ß = -0.148, P = 0.006), and empathy (ß = -0.140, P = 0.011). Furthermore, reliability (ß = 0.655, P < 0.001) and responsiveness (ß = 0.147, P = 0.008) showed a direct effect on patient satisfaction. Overall, participants were highly satisfied with the dental services. CONCLUSIONS: The PAOE group showed lower satisfaction and perceived quality of dental services compared to the control group. Although implementing an interdisciplinary program reduces the perceived service quality, its influence is limited. Employing an interdisciplinary teamwork is a win-win strategy encouraged to improve patient safety and reduce malpractice claims. Future suggestions should focus on establishing waiting times that are considered reasonable by patients. Patient-centered education related to the risk of perioperative dental injuries should be provided, and awareness of oral conditions for patient safety should be improved. Moreover, interprofessional education in continuous and undergraduate programs is necessary to improve professional quality.

The impact of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei GMNL-143 toothpaste on gingivitis and oral microbiota in adults: a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the oral health benefits of heat-killed Lacticaseibacillus paracasei GMNL-143, particularly its potential in oral microbiota alterations and gingivitis improvement. METHODS: We assessed GMNL-143's in vitro interactions with oral pathogens and its ability to prevent pathogen adherence to gingival cells. A randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical trial was performed on gingivitis patients using GMNL-143 toothpaste or placebo for four weeks, followed by a crossover after a washout. RESULTS: GMNL-143 showed coaggregation with oral pathogens in vitro, linked to its surface layer protein. In patients, GMNL-143 toothpaste lowered the gingival index and reduced Streptococcus mutans in crevicular fluid. A positive relationship was found between Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and gingival index changes, and a negative one between Campylobacter and gingival index changes in plaque. CONCLUSION: GMNL-143 toothpaste may shift oral bacterial composition towards a healthier state, suggesting its potential in managing mild to moderate gingivitis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ID NCT04190485 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ); 09/12/2019, retrospective registration.

Disentangling the impact of biogas slurry topdressing as a replacement for chemical fertilizers on soil bacterial and fungal community composition, functional characteristics, and co-occurrence networks.

The application of biogas slurry topdressing with drip irrigation systems can compensate for the limitation of traditional solid organic fertilizer, which can only be applied at the bottom. Based on this, we attempted to define the response of soil bacterial and fungal communities of maize during the tasseling and full maturity stages, by using a no-topdressing control and different ratios of biogas slurry nitrogen in place of chemical fertilizer topdressing. The application of biogas slurry resulted in the emergence of new bacterial phyla led by Synergistota. Compared with pure urea chemical topdressing, the pure biogas slurry topdressing treatment significantly enriched Firmicutes and Basidiomycota communities during the tasseling stage, in addition to affecting the separation of bacterial and fungal α-diversity indices between the tasseling and full maturity stages. Based on the prediction of community composition and function, the changes in bacterial and fungal communities caused by biogas slurry treatment stimulated the ability of microorganisms to decompose refractory organic components, which was conducive to turnover in the soil carbon cycle, and improved multi-element (such as sulfur) cycles; however it may also bring potential risks of heavy metal and pathogenic microbial contamination. Notably, the biogas slurry treatment reduced the correlation and aggregation of bacterial and fungal symbiotic networks, and had a dual effect on ecological randomness. These findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of the alterations occurring in soil microbial communities when substituting chemical fertilizers treated with biogas slurry topdressing, and promote the efficient and sustainable utilization of biogas slurry resources.

Novel Activity of ODZ10117, a STAT3 Inhibitor, for Regulation of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation.

The NLRP3 inflammasome serves as a host defense mechanism against various pathogens, but there is growing evidence linking its activation in sterile condition to diverse inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the identification of specific inhibitors that target NLRP3 inflammasome activation is meaningful and important for novel therapies for NLRP3 inflammasome-associated diseases. In this study, we identified a chemical compound, namely ODZ10117 (ODZ), that showed NLRP3 inflammasome-targeting anti-inflammatory effects during the screening of a chemical library for anti-inflammatory activity. Although ODZ was initially discovered as a STAT3 inhibitor, here we found it also has inhibitory activity on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. ODZ inhibited the cleavage of caspase-1 and IL-1ß-induced canonical NLRP3 inflammasome triggers, but had no effect on those induced by AIM2 or NLRC4 triggers. Mechanistically, ODZ impairs NLRP3 inflammasome activation through the inhibition of NLRP3-NEK7 interaction that is required for inflammasome formation. Moreover, the results obtained from the in silico docking experiment suggested that ODZ targets NLRP3 protein, which provides evidence for the specificity of ODZ to the NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, ODZ administration significantly reduced MSU-induced IL-1ß release and the mortality rate of mice with LPS-induced sepsis. Collectively, these results demonstrate a novel effect of ODZ10117 in regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation both in vitro and in vivo, making it a promising candidate for the treatment of NLRP3-inflammasome-associated immune disorders and cancer.

Cornus officinalis Seed Extract Inhibits AIM2-Inflammasome Activation and Attenuates Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis-like Skin Inflammation.

The AIM2 inflammasome is an innate immune system component that defends against cytosolic bacteria and DNA viruses, but its aberrant activation can lead to the progression of various inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. However, there have been few reports of specific inhibitors of AIM2 inflammasome activation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory activity of ethanolic extracts of seeds of Cornus officinalis (CO), a herb and food plant used in traditional medicine, on AIM2-inflammasome activation. We found that CO inhibited the release of IL-1ß induced by dsDNA in both BMDMs and HaCaT cells, but that it showed no effect on the release of IL-1ß induced by NLRP3 inflammasome triggers, such as nigericin and silica, or the NLRC4 inflammasome trigger flagellin. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CO inhibited the cleavage of caspase-1, an inflammasome activation marker, and an upstream event, the translocation and speck formation of ASC. In addition, further experiments and mechanistic investigations revealed that CO can inhibit AIM2 speck formation induced by dsDNA in AIM2-overexpressing HEK293T cells. To verify the correlation in vivo, we investigated the efficacy of CO in an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis model, which has reported associations with the AIM2 inflammasome. We found that topical application of CO alleviated psoriasis-like symptoms, such as erythema, scaling, and epidermal thickening, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CO also significantly decreased IMQ-induced expression of AIM2 inflammasome components, including AIM2, ASC, and caspase-1, and led to the elevation of serum IL-17A. In conclusion, our results suggest that CO may be a valuable candidate for the discovery of AIM2 inhibitors and the regulation of AIM2-related diseases.

Korean Red Ginseng Prevents the Deterioration of Lung and Brain Function in Chronic PM2.5-Exposed Mice by Regulating Systemic Inflammation.

This study was conducted to confirm the effects of Korean red ginseng on lung and brain dysfunction in a BALB/c mice model exposed to particulate matter (PM)2.5 for 12 weeks. Learning and cognitive abilities were assessed with Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. To evaluate the ameliorating effect of red ginseng extract (RGE), the antioxidant system and mitochondrial function were investigated. The administration of RGE protected lung and brain impairment by regulating the antioxidant system and mitochondrial functions damaged by PM2.5-induced toxicity. Moreover, RGE prevented pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) pathway. RGE attenuated PM2.5-induced pulmonary and cognitive dysfunction by regulating systemic inflammation and apoptosis via the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB)/c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) pathway. In conclusion, RGE might be a potential material that can regulate chronic PM2.5-induced lung and brain cognitive dysfunction.

Codium fragile Suppresses PM2.5-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction by Regulating Gut-Brain Axis via TLR-4/MyD88 Pathway.

This study was conducted to evaluate the cognitive dysfunction improvement effect of aqueous extract of Codium fragile (AECF) by regulating the imbalance of the gut-brain axis in chronic particulate matter (PM)2.5-exposed mice. The physiological compounds of AECF were identified as hexadecanamide, oleamide, octadecanamide, stearidonic acid, and linolenic acid by the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC Q-TOF MSE) analysis. To evaluate the effect of PM2.5 on the antioxidant system, superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents, reduced glutathione (GSH) contents, and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were measured in colon and brain tissues. AECF significantly ameliorated the imbalance of the antioxidant systems. Also, AECF improved intestinal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, the abundance of the gut microbiome, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) contents, and tight junction protein expression against PM2.5-induced damage. In addition, AECF prevented PM2.5-induced inflammatory and apoptotic expression via the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) pathway in colon and brain tissues. Additionally, AECF enhanced the mitochondrial function, including the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents in brain tissues. Furthermore, AECF regulated the cholinergic system, such as acetylcholine (ACh) contents, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and protein expression levels of AChE and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in brain tissues. To evaluate the effect of cognitive dysfunction caused by PM2.5-induced intestinal dysfunction, behavior tests such as Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests were performed. From the results of the behavior tests, AECF ameliorated spatial learning and memory, short-term memory, and long-term learning and memory function. This study confirmed that AECF reduced PM2.5-induced cognitive dysfunction by regulating gut microbiome and inflammation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial function by enhancing the gut-brain axis. Based on these results, this study suggests that AECF, which contains fatty acid amides, might be a potential material for ameliorating PM2.5-induced cognitive dysfunction via gut-brain axis improvement.

Anti-Amnesia-like Effect of Pinus densiflora Extract by Improving Apoptosis and Neuroinflammation on Trimethyltin-Induced ICR Mice.

This study was conducted to investigate the anti-amnestic property of Korean red pine bark extract (KRPBE) on TMT-induced cognitive decline in ICR mice. As a result of looking at behavioral function, the consumption of KRPBE improved the spatial work ability, short-term learning, and memory ability by Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. KRPBE suppressed antioxidant system damage by assessing the SOD activity, reduced GSH content, and MDA levels in brain tissue. In addition, it had a protective effect on cholinergic and synaptic systems by regulating ACh levels, AChE activity, and protein expression levels of ChAT, AChE, SYP, and PSD-95. Also, the KRPBE ameliorated TMT-induced mitochondrial damage by regulating the ROS content, MMP, and ATP levels. Treatment with KRPBE suppressed Aß accumulation and phosphorylation of tau and reduced the expression level of BAX/BCl-2 ratio and caspase 3, improving oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. Moreover, treatment with KRPBE improved cognitive dysfunction by regulating the neuro-inflammatory protein expression levels of p-JNK, p-Akt, p-IκB-α, COX-2, and IL-1ß. Based on these results, the extract of Korean red pine bark, which is discarded as a byproduct of forestry, might be used as an eco-friendly material for functional foods or pharmaceuticals by having an anti-amnesia effect on cognitive impairment.

Optimization of spray drying process of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) juice powder using nondigestible maltodextrin by response surface methodology (RSM).

The optimal spray-drying conditions for manufacturing Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) juice powder (JAJP) using response surface methodology (RSM) were investigated. The optimization was performed using two independent factors, which are inlet air temperature (130-180 °C) and different concentrations of nondigestible maltodextrin (NMD) as a carrier agent (10-30%). Responses such as drying yield, moisture content, water solubility index (WSI), bulk density, color, pH, and antioxidant activities of JAJP were investigated. Moisture content, vitamin C content, color, antioxidant activity, pH and bulk density were greatly influenced by inlet air temperature, but dry yield and WSI were only significantly affected by NMD concentration. The optimum spray drying conditions were determined as 14.7% NMD concentration and 154.5 °C inlet air temperature, respectively. At these optimum conditions, a drying yield of 55.73%, 4.84% moisture content, 90.98% WSI, 0.59 g/mL of bulk density, and 169.87 mg/g vitamin C content in JAJP were measured. Therefore, JAJP with the desirable physicochemical properties could be produced.

Identification of essential element determining fruit-specific transcriptional activity in the tomato HISTIDINE DECARBOXYLASE A gene promoter.

KEY MESSAGE: In SlHDC-A promoter, SlHDC-A core-ES is an essential region for fruit-specific expression and interacts with GATA, HSF and AP1. Triplication of essential region was proposed as a minimal fruit-specific promoter. In plant biotechnology, fruit-specific promoter is an important tool for the improvement and utilization of tomato fruit. To expand our understanding on fruit-specific expression, it is necessary to determine the promoter region involved in fruit-specific transcriptional activity and transcriptional regulations of the promoter. In previous study, we isolated a fruit-specific SlHDC-A core promoter specifically expressed during tomato ripening stages. In this study, we identified SlHDC-A promoter region (SlHDC-A core-ES) that is essential for fruit-specific expression of the SlHDC-A. To understand the molecular mechanisms of fruit-specific expression of the SlHDC-A promoter, we first identified the putative transcription factor binding elements in the SlHDC-A core promoter region and corresponding putative transcription factors which are highly expressed during fruit maturation. Yeast one hybrid analysis confirmed that GATA, HSF, and AP1 interact with the SlHDC-A core-ES promoter region. Further transactivation analysis revealed that expression of the three transcription factors significantly activated expression of a reporter gene driven by SlHDC-A core-ES promoter. These results suggest that GATA, HSF, and AP1 are involved in the fruit-specific expression of SlHDC-A promoter. Furthermore, the synthetic promoter composed of three tandem repeats of SlHDC-A core-ES showed relatively higher activity than the constitutive 35S promoter in the transgenic tomato fruits at the orange stage. Taken together, we propose a new synthetic promoter that is specifically expressed during fruit ripening stage.

Acceptance and experience of digital dental technology, burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention for Taiwanese dental technicians.

BACKGROUND: Digital dental technology (DDT) has progressed and been introduced to Taiwan in the recent years, gradually changing the industry ecology. Many studies have demonstrated that DDT is more accurate and faster than conventional dental technology. However, there is a paucity of research exploring dental technicians' perspectives on digital dental techniques, and their burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling was conducted at the conference venue of the Taiwan Association of Dental Technology to investigate the perspectives of dental technicians. We used the snowballing method in this study; two sampling methods were adopted, a convenience sampling of dental technicians to complete a survey, followed by asking the survey participants of the convenience sample to invite their colleagues to participate in the online survey. The survey questionnaire included questions on demographics, work-related information, acceptance and experiences of dental technicians toward DDT, occupational burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. Regression models were used to determine the predictors of job satisfaction and determinants of turnover intention. RESULTS: In total, 341 valid questionnaires were obtained. Overall, the participants reported long working hours (95.5%), positive score on the DDT acceptance scale, moderate job satisfaction, higher personal burnout, and work burnout, along with lower over-commitment. Among them, 32.9% and 28.2% reported the intention to leave their organization and profession, respectively. The stepwise multiple regression model revealed that higher work burnout decreased job satisfaction, while higher DDT acceptance and position as employer increased job satisfaction. The binary logistic regression models revealed that geographical area of workplace, work burnout, and job satisfaction were significant predictors of turnover intentions. CONCLUSIONS: Many Taiwanese dental technicians reported turnover intentions and higher burnout. With the trend of digitalization in the dental industry, even though most dental technicians had a positive outlook toward DDT, its influence on job satisfaction appears limited. Retaining good and professional talents required of a dental technician is crucial, especially as Taiwan's dental care becomes increasingly specialized. Strategies for improving the work environment and occupational health of dental technicians should thus be the focus of future studies.

The ten amino acids of the oxygen-evolving enhancer of tobacco is sufficient as the peptide residues for protein transport to the chloroplast thylakoid.

KEY MESSAGE: The thylakoid transit peptide of tobacco oxygen-evolving enhancer protein contains a minimal ten amino acid sequences for thylakoid lumen transports. This ten amino acids do not contain twin-arginine, which is required for typical chloroplast lumen translocation. Chloroplasts are intracellular organelles responsible for photosynthesis to produce organic carbon for all organisms. Numerous proteins must be transported from the cytosol to chloroplasts to support photosynthesis. This transport is facilitated by chloroplast transit peptides (TPs). Four chloroplast thylakoid lumen TPs were isolated from Nicotiana tabacum and were functionally analyzed as thylakoid lumen TPs. Typical chloroplast stroma-transit peptides and thylakoid lumen transit peptides (tTPs) are found in N. tabacum transit peptides (NtTPs) and the functions of these peptides are confirmed with TP-GFP fusion proteins under fluorescence microscopy and chloroplast fractionation, followed by Western blot analysis. During the functional analysis of tTPs, we uncovered the minimum 10 amino acid sequence is sufficient for thylakoid lumen transport. These ten amino acids can efficiently translocate GFP protein, even if they do not contain the twin-arginine residues required for the twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway, which is a typical thylakoid lumen transport. Further, thylakoid lumen transporting processes through the Tat pathway was examined by analyzing tTP sequence functions and we demonstrate that the importance of hydrophobic core for the tTP cleavage and target protein translocation.