Confirmation of the viability of a metaverse yoga class and investigation into the impact on pain, anxiety, and depression associated with low back pain after engaging in virtual yoga sessions.

This study aimed to explore the influence of metaverse technology (MT) factors like presence, usability, and enjoyment on patients' satisfaction, with a focus on examining potential mediating effects. In addition, it sought to assess whether the yoga practice as an intervention therapy in MT induces changes in the pain, anxiety, and depression levels of patients experiencing back pain. From the pool of 202 participants, this study chose participants who had reported enduring low back pain over 12 weeks, with a visual analogue scale (VAS) rating of 4 or higher. After completing the questionnaire, patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (COG, n=100) or the yoga exercise group (YEG, n=99). Results showed that the construct validity for questionnaires and a reasonable model fit were confirmed, and that presence showed a statistically significant effect on psychological satisfaction via the mediating path of enjoyment (ß=0.592, P=0.001). Following 8 weeks of the yoga practice, the VAS increased for the COG, while it decreased significantly by ~29% for the YEG (P=0.001). YEG also exhibited a decrease in the Oswestry Disability Index by ~17%, anxiety by ~7%, and depression by ~10% (P=0.001). In conclusion, psychological satisfaction in a yoga practice using a metaverse cannot be achieved solely through the sense of presence; enjoyment is necessary for patients' satisfaction. Moreover, it was verified that virtual yoga practice is effective in ameliorating psychological factors resulting from back pain.

Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate as a Novel Vaccine Adjuvant.

Vaccine adjuvants from natural resources have been utilized for enhancing vaccine efficacy against infectious diseases. This study examined the potential use of catechins, polyphenolic materials derived from green tea, as adjuvants for subunit and inactivated vaccines. Previously, catechins have been documented to have irreversible virucidal function, with the possible applicability in the inactivated viral vaccine platform. In a mouse model, the coadministration of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) with influenza hemagglutinin (HA) antigens induced high levels of neutralizing antibodies, comparable to that induced by alum, providing complete protection against the lethal challenge. Adjuvant effects were observed for all types of HA antigens, including recombinant full-length HA and HA1 globular domain, and egg-derived inactivated split influenza vaccines. The combination of alum and EGCG further increased neutralizing (NT) antibody titers with the corresponding hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers, demonstrating a dose-sparing effect. Remarkably, EGCG induced immunoglobulin isotype switching from IgG1 to IgG2a (approximately >64-700 fold increase), exerting a more balanced TH1/TH2 response compared to alum. The upregulation of IgG2a correlated with significant enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) function (approximately 14 fold increase), providing a potent effector-mediated protection in addition to NT and HI. As the first report on a novel class of vaccine adjuvants with built-in virucidal activities, the results of this study will help improve the efficacy and safety of vaccines for pandemic preparedness.