Association of nurse-mother partnerships with parenting stress and family resilience among South Korean mothers of children with congenital heart disease.

PURPOSE: Advances in the management of congenital heart disease (CHD) have significantly decreased mortality rates, indicating a need for continuous care as a chronic condition throughout the child's lifespan. This study examined the association of nurse-mother partnerships with parenting stress and family resilience among South Korean mothers of children with CHD. DESIGN AND METHODS: This descriptive study involved 93 mothers of children aged six years or younger with CHD admitted to a hospital. Data were collected from September to November 2020 and analyzed using SPSS/WIN (version 29.0) for t-tests, analyses of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: The means and standard deviations of the nurse-mother partnership, parenting stress, and family resilience were 4.13 ± 0.47, 76.98 ± 16.6, and 56.54 ± 7.86 points, respectively. Parenting stress increased as the number of hospitalizations and surgeries increased and with complex types of CHD. Nurse-mother partnerships were stronger with longer hospital stays. Family resilience was higher with younger children, fewer rehospitalizations, and shorter hospital stays. A positive correlation was found between nurse-mother partnerships and family resilience, and a negative correlation between parenting stress and family resilience. Factors influencing parenting stress included family resilience, rehospitalizations, and complex types of CHD, and those affecting family resilience were nurse-mother partnerships, parenting stress, and the child's age. CONCLUSION: Nurse-mother partnerships significantly affect family resilience. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Enhancing nurse-mother partnerships can improve family resilience, which in turn can reduce parenting stress, thus offering guidance for future nursing interventions.

The changing dynamics of work from home and its association with sleep disturbance through work-family conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Work from home (WFH) can increase sleep disturbances. However, only few studies have examined the connection between WFH and sleep disturbance while considering work-family conflict (WFC) and the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine the association between WFH and sleep disturbance, considering WFC, and assess how this association changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We used data from the fifth and sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey. WFH workers and a control group were selected using propensity score matching. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs for sleep disturbance in the WFH and control groups. RESULTS: The workers working from home showed significantly higher ORs for sleep disturbance before (4.26; 95% CI, 3.59-5.05) and during (1.52; 95% CI, 1.26-1.83) the COVID-19 pandemic. When stratified by WFC, the association was significant only in the workers with WFC before COVID-19. However, the association was not significant during COVID-19 among the workers with WFC. CONCLUSIONS: WFH was significantly associated with sleep disturbance among workers before COVID-19, but this association was not observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the significant role that WFC plays in this association, companies should provide a family-friendly WFH environment when adopting WFH practices.

Effects of 3S business intelligence systems for nursing students: a repeated-measures randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: The growing need for healthcare services as a result of a consistently rising prevalence of chronic diseases and rapid population aging calls for a new set of activities and practices. Therefore, we developed a program-3S (Simple, Smart, and Speed) Business Intelligence Systems (3S-BIS), which is an ERP software system that helps nursing business to support nursing entrepreneurship -and analyzed its effects on nursing students. METHODS: A repeated-measures randomized controlled trial was performed with two groups: experimental (n = 29) and control (n = 30) groups. The former group underwent the five-day 3S-BIS education program. Each session comprised four components: lectures 1 and 2, simulation case study, and debriefing. Post-tests were performed immediately post-intervention and four and eight weeks later. The effectiveness was measured using the following variables: simulation design assessment, evaluation of educational practices in simulation, education satisfaction, self-efficacy for learning, and entrepreneurship. The differences before and after intervention between the experimental and control groups were analyzed using the Friedman test. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons between groups at each time point, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for comparisons within groups at each time point. RESULTS: Post-intervention (8 weeks after intervention), the experimental group demonstrated higher simulation design assessment (z = -3.88, p = < .001), evaluation of educational practices in simulation (z = -3.34, p = .001), education satisfaction (z = -3.11, p = .002), self-efficacy for learning (z = -3.04, p = .002), and entrepreneurship (z = -2.15, p = .031) compared to controls. Furthermore, simulation design assessment score in the experimental group significantly differed between T1 (immediately after intervention) and T0 (baseline), and between T3 (8 weeks after intervention) and T0. Evaluation of educational practices in the simulation, education satisfaction, and self-efficacy also significantly differed between T1 and T0, and between T3 and T0. Entrepreneurship significantly differed between T3 and T2 (4 weeks after intervention), and between T3 and T0. CONCLUSIONS: The 3S-BIS program contributes to enhancing nursing start-up competency. Subsequent studies should evaluate the effects of the program on nurses who work in home healthcare services.

Combined effect of work from home and work during nonwork time on sleep disturbance.

Background: Owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, being exposed to work from home and work during nonwork time simultaneously can lead to sleep disturbance; however, their combined effect is unclear. We aimed to investigate the combined effect of work from home and work during nonwork time on sleep disturbance. Methods: This study used data from the Sixth Korean Working Condition Survey and included 27,473 paid workers. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between work from home, work during nonwork time, and sleep disturbance according to sex. We re-classified participants into 4 groups based on their working from home (No/Yes) and working during nonwork time (No/Yes). The relative excess risk due to interaction was calculated to examine the effect of exposure to both telecommuting and non-regular work hours on sleep disturbance. Results: Workers exposed to work from home and work during nonwork time had significantly higher risks of sleep disturbance for all, men, and women workers (OR [95% CI]: 1.71 [1.46-2.02], 1.79 [1.43-2.23], and 1.64 [1.29-2.08] for work from home and 3.04 [2.70-3.42], 3.61 [3.09-4.22], and 2.41 [2.01-2.90] for work during nonwork time, respectively). Compared to those who were not exposed to both factors, when workers had both job factors, the ORs (95% CI) of sleep disturbance for all, men, and women were 3.93 (2.80-5.53), 5.08 (3.21-8.03), and 2.91 (1.74-4.87), respectively. The relative excess risk due to interaction of work from home and work during nonwork time was not significant for sleep disturbance. Conclusions: Work from home and work during nonwork time were each associated with sleep disturbance, but the interaction between the two factors on sleep disturbance was not observed in both men and women.

Single-cell analysis of multiple myelomas refines the molecular features of bortezomib treatment responsiveness.

Both the tumor and tumor microenvironment (TME) are crucial for pathogenesis and chemotherapy resistance in multiple myeloma (MM). Bortezomib, commonly used for MM treatment, works on both MM and TME cells, but innate and acquired resistance easily develop. By single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we investigated bone marrow aspirates of 18 treatment-naïve MM patients who later received bortezomib-based treatments. Twelve plasma and TME cell types and their subsets were identified. Suboptimal responders (SORs) to bortezomib exhibited higher copy number alteration burdens than optimal responders (ORs). Forty-four differentially expressed genes for SORs based on scRNA-seq data were further analyzed in an independent cohort of 90 treatment-naïve MMs, where 24 genes were validated. A combined model of three clinical variables (older age, low absolute lymphocyte count, and no autologous stem cell transplantation) and 24 genes was associated with bortezomib responsiveness and poor prognosis. In T cells, cytotoxic memory, proliferating, and dysfunctional subsets were significantly enriched in SORs. Moreover, we identified three monocyte subsets associated with bortezomib responsiveness and an MM-specific NK cell trajectory that ended with an MM-specific subset. scRNA-seq predicted the interaction of the GAS6-MERTK, ALCAM-CD6, and BAG6-NCR gene networks. Of note, tumor cells from ORs and SORs were the most prominent sources of ALCAM on effector T cells and BAG6 on NK cells, respectively. Our results indicate that the complicated compositional and molecular changes of both tumor and immune cells in the bone marrow (BM) milieu are important in the development and acquisition of resistance to bortezomib-based treatment of MM.

Inequalities in External-Cause Mortality in 2018 across Industries in Republic of Korea.

Background: External-cause mortality is an important public health issue worldwide. Considering its significance to workers' health and inequalities across industries, we aimed to describe the state of external-cause mortality and investigate its difference by industry in Republic of Korea based on data for 2018. Methods: Data obtained from the Statistics Korea and Korean Employment Information System were used. External causes of death were divided into three categories (suicide, transport accident, and others), and death occurred during employment period or within 90 days after unemployment was regarded as workers' death. We calculated age- and sex-standardized mortalities per 100,000, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) compared to the general population and total workers, and mortality rate ratios (RRs) across industries using information and communication as a reference. Correlation analyses between income, education, and mortality were conducted. Results: Age- and sex-standardized external-cause mortality per 100,000 in all workers was 29.4 (suicide: 16.2, transport accident: 6.6, others: 6.6). Compared to the general population, all external-cause and suicide SMRs were significantly lower; however, there was no significant difference in transport accidents. When compared to total workers, wholesale, transportation, and business facilities management showed higher SMR for suicide, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing, mining and quarrying, construction, transportation and storage, and public administration and defense showed higher SMR for transport accidents. A moderate to strong negative correlation was observed between education level and mortality (both age- and sex-standardized mortality rates and SMR compared to the general population). Conclusion: Inequalities in external-cause mortalities from suicide, transport accidents, and other causes were found. For reducing the differences, improved policies are needed for industries with higher mortalities.

Factors Associated with Job Stress among Hospital Nurses: A Meta-Correlation Analysis.

This study aims to investigate research trends concerning job stress among hospital nurses. Articles about job stress among hospital nurses published in English from 2008 to 2018 were searched. In the first search, 2673 articles were extracted from the MEDLINE, EMBASE, KoreaMed, KERIS, KISS, KISTI, and KMbase databases. Altogether, 154 articles were used in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Thirty-nine variables were explored regarding job stress. Among the major variables, insufficient job control, personal conflict, and burnout had a positive correlation. In contrast, intention to stay, job satisfaction, and personal accomplishment had a negative correlation. In the meta-analysis conducted in relation to a specific conceptual framework, the negative-outcome factors showed significant positive correlations with job stress, whereas the positive-outcome factors showed significant negative correlations with job stress. This study identified factors associated with job stress in nurses through a meta-correlation analysis, and the overall correlation coefficient was relatively high at 0.51. Job factors and moderators had significant meta-correlation coefficients. These results can be utilized in clinical practice and research to help develop intervention programs to relieve job stress among nurses.

Predictive Models for Nurses' Entrepreneurial Intentions Using Comparison of Competing Models.

There is a need to introduce predictive models of nurses' entrepreneurial intentions that can identify which variables will promote entrepreneurship among nurses. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing nurses' entrepreneurial intentions. We performed a systematic review and developed prediction models using factors identified and validated in a meta-analysis. Moreover, we individually tested and compared three models based on: (1) the Theory of Planned Behavior, (2) a meta-analysis, and (3) a combination of the two. Data from 386 nurses were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 for Windows and AMOS 21.0. The squared multiple correlation statistics of Models 1, 2, and 3 were 54.3%, 35.8%, and 60.0%, respectively. Model 3 provided a better explanation of nurses' entrepreneurial intentions. Attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, entrepreneurial orientation, and need for entrepreneurship education are the most important variables to strengthen the entrepreneurial intention of nurses. The results of this study can be used as a theoretical model to explain nurse entrepreneurship intentions. In addition, these findings offer a useful resource for constructing a start-up curriculum within nursing colleges that fosters prospective nursing entrepreneurs.

Lariciresinol Displays Anti-Diabetic Activity through Inhibition of α-Glucosidase and Activation and Enhancement of Insulin Signaling.

SCOPE: The aim of this study is to investigate the antidiabetic effect of lariciresinol (LSR) in C2C12 myotubes and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: To investigate antidiabetic potential of LSR, α-glucosidase inhibitory assay, molecular docking, glucose uptake assay, western blot assay on antidiabetic biomarkers are performed. STZ-induced diabetic model is used for in vivo study by calculating oral glucose tolerance test, histochemical examination, and glycogen assay. LSR inhibits α-glucosidase activity with an IC50 value of 6.97 ± 0.37 µM and acts as a competitive inhibitor with an inhibitory constant (Ki) value of 0.046 µM. In C2C12 cells, LSR activates insulin signaling leading to glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation and augmented glucose uptake. Furthermore, in Streptozotocin (STZ)-treated diabetic mice, 3 weeks of oral LSR administration (10 mg kg-1 ) considerably decrease blood glucose levels, while increasing insulin levels in an oral glucose tolerance test, improve pancreatic islet size, increase GLUT4 expression, and significantly enhance insulin signaling in skeletal muscle. LSR treatment also activates glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK-3ß) resulting in improved glycogen content. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a potential usefulness for oral LSR in the management and prevention of diabetes by enhancing glucose homeostasis.

Development and Evaluation of the "High-Up" Program for Enhancing the Nursing-Management Competency of Mid-Career Hospital Nurses: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

The aim of this study was to develop an educational program to strengthen the nursing management competency of experienced nurses who are prospective nurse managers and then determine the effectiveness of the program. This quasi-experimental study was conducted from January to April 2021. A total of 22 nurses were assigned to the experiment group (mean age: 26.55 ± 1.30 years; 2 males, 20 females), and 20 were assigned to the control group (mean age: 27.55 ± 2.04 years; 20 females). The program, known as the "High-Up" program, comprised problem-based learning (PBL) and video lectures. In the experiment group, nurses discussed PBL cases through video conferences and applied problem-solving methods. The collected data were analyzed using the Friedman test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (administered through SPSS). At four weeks after the intervention, the experiment group showed higher critical thinking tendency scores than the control group (pre-intervention score: 3.48 ± 0.36; post-intervention score: 3.71 ± 0.49; Z = -1.99, p = 0.046). The findings indicate that the "High-Up" program can enhance the nurse management competency of experienced nurses who need to prepare for nurse manager roles, and that it can also positively influence the performance of nursing organizations. However, it can be difficult to comprehensively enhance nursing management competency in a short period of time, meaning continuous education is required.

Prognostic role of the ratio of natural killer cells to regulatory T cells in patients with multiple myeloma treated with lenalidomide and dexamethasone.

Despite advances in treating newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), a biomarker-driven personalized approach remains an unmet need. A combination of lenalidomide and dexamethasone (RD) is a widely available chemotherapeutic option for NDMM. We aimed to find a circulating immune cell-based biomarker to predict prognosis following RD in patients with NDMM. Clinical data and peripheral blood samples of 71 consecutive NDMM patients treated with RD were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were taken at the time of diagnosis. Immune cell populations, including natural killer (NK) cells, T cells, and their subpopulations, were identified by flow cytometry. In univariable analysis, four variables, including low expression (third or lower quartile) of NK cells, high expression (first or greater quartile) of regulatory T (Treg) cells, female sex, and lambda light chain type, could be plausible factors in predicting poor progression-free survival (PFS). With use of the ratio of NK cells to Treg cells (NK/Treg) as a biomarker, the median PFS of patients with low NK/Treg (less than first quartile, n = 18) was significantly inferior to that of patients with high NK/Treg (first or greater quartile, n = 53): 19.8 months versus 57.3 months, p = 0.047. In multivariable analysis, low NK/Treg was significantly associated with poor PFS (hazard ratio: 2.877, 95% confidence interval: 0.001-1.009, p = 0.048), even after adjusting for other confounding factors. NK/Treg at the time of diagnosis might be a useful immune cell biomarker for clinical decision-making for the use of RD in NDMM. Further investigations are needed to improve outcomes of NDMM patients based on the understanding of the role of NK/Treg.

Evaluation of TBMDR® and XDRA® for the detection of multidrug resistant and pre-extensively drug resistant tuberculosis.

This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of the AccuPower® TB&MDR Real-Time PCR (TBMDR®) and AccuPower® XDR-TB Real-Time PCR Kit-A (XDRA®) to detect multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) in comparison with phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST) using MGIT 960 on 234 clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Discrepant results were confirmed by direct-sequencing. Sensitivity and specificity of TBMDR and XDRA for cultured isolates were 81.2% and 95.8% for isoniazid (INH) resistance, 95.7% and 95.7% for rifampicin (RIF) resistance, 84.1% and 99.1% for fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance, and 67.4% and 100% for second-line injectables resistance. The sensitivities of each drug were equivalent to other molecular DST methods. High concordance was observed when compared to direct-sequencing. We also found that TBMDR and XDRA assays can detect INH, RIF and FQ resistance in isolates with low level resistance-associated mutations which were missed by phenotypic DST. Our study showed TBMDR and XDRA assays could be the useful tools to detect MDR-TB and pre-XDR-TB.

Nursing Students' Subjective Happiness: A Social Network Analysis.

Improving nursing students' subjective happiness is germane for efficiency in the nursing profession. This study examined the subjective happiness of nursing students by applying social network analysis (SNA) and developing a strategy to improve the subjective happiness of nursing. The study adopted a cross sectional survey to measure subjective happiness and social network of 222 nursing students. The results revealed that the centralization index, which is a measure of intragroup interactions from the perspective of an entire network, was higher in the senior year compared with the junior year. Additionally, the indegree, outdegree, and centrality of the social network of students with a high level of subjective happiness were all found to be high. This result suggests that subjective happiness is not just an individual's psychological perception, but can also be expressed more deeply depending on the subject's social relationships. Based on the study's results, to strengthen self-efficacy and resilience, it is necessary to utilize strategies that activate group dynamics, such as team activities, to improve subjective happiness. The findings can serve as basic data for future research focused on improving nursing students' subjective happiness by consolidating team-learning social networks through a standardized program approach within a curriculum or extracurricular programs.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Fall Prevention Programs for Pediatric Inpatients.

Falls account for a high proportion of the safety accidents experienced by hospitalized children. This study aims to analyze the contents and effects of fall prevention programs for pediatric inpatients to develop more adaptable fall prevention programs. A literature search was performed using PubMed (including Medline), Science Direct, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane. We included articles published from the inception of each of the databases up to 31 March 2019. A total of 1725 results were reviewed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and nine studies were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis program. Four of the nine studies divided their participants into a high-risk fall group and a low-or medium-risk fall group, and all studies used a high-risk sign/sticker as a common protocol guideline for its high-risk fall group. The odds ratio of 0.95 (95% Cl 0.550-1.640) for the fall prevention program in seven studies was not statistically significant. To develop a standardized fall prevention program in the future, randomized control trial studies that can objectively measure the fall rate reduction effect of the integrated fall prevention program need to be expanded.

Preclinical evaluation of JAK1/2 inhibition by ruxolitinib in a murine model of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

The objective of this study was to examine the therapeutic effect of ruxolitinib, an orally administered selective Janus kinase (JAK) 1/2 inhibitor, on chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) using a murine model of sclerodermatous GVHD (scl-GVHD). Compared with scl-GVHD controls, ruxolitinib-treated recipients had scl-GVHD of significantly attenuated clinical and pathological severity in the skin and decreased frequencies of effector cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD11b+ macrophage/monocytes. Regulatory CD4+ Foxp3+ T cells were expanded whereas interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing CD4+ T cells were significantly decreased in ruxolitinib-treated recipients. Ruxolitinib suppressed not only the production of IFN-γ from CD4+ T cells and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) from CD11b+ macrophage/monocytes, but also the proliferation of these cells in vitro. Levels of both cytokines (IFN-γ and MCP-1) were also reduced in the spleen and skin of ruxolitinib-treated recipients in vivo. IFN-γ-induced MCP-1 production and migration of RAW 264.7 cells, a macrophage cell line, were inhibited by ruxolitinib. However, supplementation with MCP-1 restored this effect of ruxolitinib. In addition, blocking JAK-STAT signaling using ruxolitinib reduced the activation of STAT1 in stimulated immune effector cells. Taken together, these results suggest that ruxolitinib can prevent scl-GVHD by suppressing IFN-γ produced by T cells and MCP-1 expression in macrophage/monocytes via inhibition of JAK-STAT signaling.

Myeloma-Secreted Galectin-1 Potently Interacts with CD304 on Monocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells.

Progression of multiple myeloma is regulated by factors intrinsic to the clonal plasma cells (PC) and by the immune effector cells in the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we investigated the interaction between CD304 expression on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and galectin-1 from malignant PCs in the context of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for multiple myeloma. Using high-throughput screening, CD304 expression on circulating monocytic MDSCs (M-MDSC; CD14+HLA-DRlow/-) was compared before and after ASCT. There was a significantly higher M-MDSC expression of CD304 before ASCT and a clear correlation between circulating pre-ASCT M-MDSC frequency and serum galectin-1 concentration. Treatment of pre-ASCT M-MDSCs, but not post-ASCT M-MDSCs, with galectin-1 in vitro expanded the M-MDSC population and increased expression of CD304. High galectin-1 expression by malignant PCs was associated with poor clinical outcomes. M-MDSC development and expression of CD304 were differentially induced when healthy donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with the human multiple myeloma cell lines RPMI-8226 and JJN3, which express high and low galectin-1, respectively. Inhibition of galectin-1 reduced M-MDSC proliferation induced by RPMI-8226 cells but not by JJN3 cells, and blockade of CD304 reduced M-MDSC migration induced by RPMI-8226 cells but not by JJN3 cells. In addition, blockade of CD304 reversed suppression of the in vitro cytotoxic effect of melphalan by pre-ASCT M-MDSCs. Our data demonstrate that multiple myeloma-derived galectin-1 could mediate the tumor-promoting effect of M-MDSCs through its interaction with CD304 on M-MDSCs and contribute to multiple myeloma progression after ASCT.See related Spotlight on p. 488.

The therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells on experimental colitis was improved by the IFN-γ and poly(I:C) priming through promoting the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic and excessive inflammation of the colon and small intestine. We previously reported that priming of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with poly(I:C) induced them to express indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). We tried to find out whether the IFN-γ and poly(I:C)-primed MSCs have better therapeutic efficacy on the experimental colitis in the IDO1-dependent manner. METHODS: To compare the therapeutic effects between the unstimulated MSCs and primed MSCs on murine colitis, mice (C57BL6) were administered with 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 5 days and injected with MSCs intraperitoneally on days 1 and 3 following DSS ingestion. The disease activity index score and body weight loss were assessed daily until day 9. RESULTS: Mice receiving the IFN-γ and poly(I:C)-primed MSCs showed a reduced disease activity index and less weight loss. Colon tissue from the same mice presented attenuated pathological damage, increased Paneth cells, increased IDO1-expressing cells, and better proliferation of enterocytes. The primed MSC treatment upregulated the mRNA expression of intestinal stem cell markers (Lgr5, Olfm4, and Bmi1), enterocyte differentiation markers (Muc2, Alpi, Chga, and occludin), and regulatory T (Treg) cells (Foxp3). The same treatment decreased inflammatory cell infiltration to lymphoid organs and the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1) in colon tissue. Notably, in vivo pharmacologic inhibition of the IDO1 activity blocked the Foxp3 upregulation in colon tissue and diminished the protective effects of the primed MSC. CONCLUSIONS: The priming of MSCs with the IFN-γ and poly(I:C) is a promising new strategy to improve the therapeutic efficacy of MSC and is worth further research.

Correlates of the Mental Fitness of Female High School Freshmen: Focus on Multidimensional Empathy and Brain Function.

We examined the association between multidimensional empathy, brain function, and mental fitness and identified correlates of mental fitness. In total, 146 female high school freshmen from a South Korean school participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected from March to April 2019, using a self-report questionnaire and quantitative electro-encephalographic data (QEEG). Instruments included the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Mental Fitness Scale, to access multidimensional empathy and mental fitness. Prefrontal cortex brain function was assessed with the brain quotient measure from the QEEG during free time after school. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Mental fitness had statistically significant relationships with multidimensional empathy (r = 0.36, p < 0.001) and brain quotient (r = 0.23, p = 0.005). Demographic factors affecting mental fitness included satisfaction with school life (ß = 0.23, p = 0.001) and economic status (ß = 0.17, p = 0.024). Factors from the subscales of multidimensional empathy included perspective taking (ß = 0.26, p = 0.001), fantasy (ß = 0.22, p = 0.004), and personal distress (ß = -0.19, p = 0.010); and the brain function factor was brain quotient (ß = 0.14, p = 0.038). The explanatory power of the model was 49.4% (F = 14.44, p < 0.001). There is a need for a concrete and objective understanding of mental fitness in adolescents to develop intervention programs for freshmen with various maladaptation problems.

Effects of decitabine on allogeneic immune reactions of donor lymphocyte infusion via activation of dendritic cells.

BACKGROUND: Successful prevention of post-transplantation relapse after donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) depends on its capability to mediate an effective graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) response while minimizing DLI-related toxicity, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). METHODS: We assessed the effects of decitabine (DEC), a hypomethylating agent, upon allogeneic immune reaction in a murine model of DLI. RESULTS: Significantly greater tumor growth retardation and survival prolongation occurred in mice administered with 1.0 mg/kg DEC for 5 days (DEC-1.0) than in control or DEC-0.1 mice. Upon prompt DEC and DLI co-administration, dendritic cells (DCs) were activated; DEC-1.0/DLI induced severe GVHD, and survival was significantly lower than with DLI alone or DEC-0.1/DLI treatments. IFN-γ and CD28 levels were higher in splenic DCs of DEC-1.0 mice than in those of control mice. Assessment of delayed DLI co-administration with DEC, when IFN-γ levels were normalized to control levels, revealed that DEC-1.0/DLI successfully facilitated tumor management without causing severe GVHD. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that DEC primes allogeneic immune reactions of DLI via DC activation, and GVHD and GVL effects are separable through optimal DLI timing based on DEC-induced increase in IFN-γ expression levels.

Protection against UVB-Induced Photoaging by Nypa fruticans via Inhibition of MAPK/AP-1/MMP-1 Signaling.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation is major causative factor in skin aging. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of a 50% ethanol extract from Nypa fruticans (NF50E) against UVB-induced skin aging. The results indicated that NF50E exerted potent antioxidant activity (IC50 = 17.55 ± 1.63 and 10.78 ± 0.63 µg/mL for DPPH and ABTS-radical scavenging activity, respectively) in a dose-dependent manner. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed that pengxianencin A, protocatechuic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, and kaempferol were components of the extract. In addition, the extract exhibited elastase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 17.96 ± 0.39 µg/mL). NF50E protected against UVB-induced HaCaT cell death and strongly suppressed UVB-stimulated cellular reactive oxygen species generation without cellular toxicity. Moreover, topical application of NF50E mitigated UVB-induced photoaging lesions including skin erythema and skin thickness in BALB/C mice. NF50E treatment inhibited UVB-induced collagen degradation as well as MMP-1 and IL-1ß expressions and significantly stimulated SIRT1 expression. Furthermore, the extract treatment markedly suppressed the activation of NF-κB and AP-1 (p-c-Jun) by deactivating the p38 and JNK proteins. Taken together, current data suggest that NF50E exhibits potent antioxidant potential and protection against photoaging by attenuating MMP-1 activity and collagen degradation possibly through the downregulation of MAPK/NF-κB/AP-1 signaling and SIRT1 activation.